Comet Elenin is coming!We’re doomed!That is if you believe everything you see on the internet.Comet Elenin’s approach has been all but ignored by the mainstream media, and into this vacuum a host of bloggers and online videos have poured rumours and prophesies of death and destruction.Here are the facts about this anticipated and feared visitor from deep space.

2.Elenin is a comet, a small and icy Solar System body.It is not a rogue planet or brown dwarf star (if it was it would be visible to the naked eye right now).It is not the same thing as Tyche (a hypothetical giant planet orbiting beyond Neptune proposed by a couple of astronomers to explain alleged irregularities in the orbits of some comets) or Nibiru (a wandering planet or star dreamt up by a couple of flaky authors in the 1990s).

3.At the time of discovery it was about 647 million km from the Sun (between Jupiter and Saturn’s orbits).Elenin is classed as a long-period comet.It takes 11 600 or so years to make a single lazy orbit of the Sun; most of this time it is very far from the Sun.It was discovered as it approaches the inner Solar System for one of its rare visits.As Comet Elenin gets nearer the Sun it is speeding up, a fact which concerns some commentators. Speculation about the comet being under technological control is unwarranted, its orbital motion is completely typical for such a comet, it is in no way anomalous as claimed in some parts of the internet.Astronomers are not baffled by it.

4.The comet’s nucleus is a lump of rock and ice estimated to be about 3-4 km across, this is quite small by comet standards.As it gets closer to the Sun, solar heat warms a comet’s surface, melting and vaporising ice. This forms a large but incredibly thin atmosphere called the coma around the comet’s nucleus.Elenin’s coma is already about 100 000 km across, this sounds enormous but is not particularly large by comet standards.Eventually, when the comet is much closer to the Sun, the coma will probably shrink somehat as the comet develops a couple of long tails, one of gas, the other of dust freed from the comet’s nucleus as the ice around it boils into space.By the autumn the tails will have developed and made the comet more conspicuous.These tails will be so thin as to be to all intents and purposes a vacuum.

5.Comet Elenin will make its closest approach to the Sun on 10 September 2011 at a distance of 0.48 AU (an AU is an astronomical unit, equal to the average distance the Earth is from the Sun).It will not collide (as claimed by some internet sources) with the Earth, nor pass between the Earth and Moon.On 16 October 2011, the comet will be at its closest to Earth, when it will be about 34.9 million km (21.7 million miles or 0.233 AU) from our planet.This is more than 90 times further than the Moon is from the Earth.

6.As Elenin will not hit Earth, some have claimed instead that its gravitational effect on the Earth’s interior will cause earthquakes and similar cataclysms on our planet, offering the recent disasters in New Zealand and Japan as harbingers of the horrors to come. This is nonsense.I estimate the comet’s nucleus to have a mass of about 20 billion tonnes, which is vast in human terms, minute in astronomical terms.Compared to the gravitational effects of the Moon and other planets, Elenin’s effects will be immeasurably small.In fact, Dear Reader, your gravitational influence on the Earth as you sit reading these words is greater than Comet Elenin’s will be at its strongest!

7.Since it will not strike Earth, or shake up the Earth’s crust, other doomsayers state as though they actually know something that the comet’s magnetic field will pull our planet off its axis.Not only does magnetism not work like that, but comets (chunks of ice and rock, remember) do not have any magnetic field!

Comet Holmes seen by the Hubble Space telescope in autumn 2007, at its best Elenin may resemble this.(Image credit:NASA)

8.Astronomers are not expecting much from Elenin.At its brightest, Comet Elenin will be a far from spectacular sight.It will be a dim object just on the edge of visibility to the unaided eye even in the darkest sky.Binoculars will show it as a faint milky smudge from late August to October.Over the weeks it will move across the constellation from Leo, Gemini to Taurus (there is nice chart of this at http://www.curtrenz.com/comets03.html). Despite its unspectacular nature, amateur and professional astronomers worldwide will be closely scrutinising the comet. Such long period comets are of great interest for what they can tell us about conditions at the dark and distant edge of the Solar System.

9.Some claim that pictures of Comet Elenin are being ruthlessly suppressed by some government conspiracy but this is a lie. Astronomers, including amateurs, have photographed the comet.You can find a collection them at Seiichi Yoshida’s comet webpages.

10.Comet Elenin’s approach is not being covered up by the media or authorities.Articles on it have appeared in astronomy magazines and there has even been a press release from NASA. It has not been announced all over the BBC and CNN simply because it is just another small and dim comet like so many others (around a hundred comets were discovered in 2010, did any of them get any media coverage?) The most mysterious part of the whole affair is why so obscure a celestial body has caught the imagination of conspiracy theorists.

Finally, if anyone alarms you with grim predictions of doom about this little comet don’t just accept them, challenge them, ask for evidence, calculations and sources.Fight back against fearmongering!

Update (2 August 2011)

I have now created a new post about Comet Elenin pictures where I will place interesting new images from the STEREO observatory as they come in. Come and see what it really looks like!

It is Oct 22nd and we aren’t hearing much from the doom merchants because they committed mass suicide so they could beam up to the mother ship following Comet Elenin. I look forward to Nov 9th also and I look forward to Nov 23rd 2011 & Dec 21st 2012.

Mildly interesting that it’s now September 29, and I don’t know about anyone else but I’m feeling fine. If the world ended, I missed it. And we’re not hearing too much from the doom merchants about why it didn’t happen…..

A lot of my friends are caught up in this fear mongering and doomsaying and it’s getting pretty ridiculous. When asked to back up their claims, they usually post links to someone equally as unqualified ranting for 11 or so minutes on youtube or some absolutely unhinged conspiracy theorist’s website. I tell them to read a journal or two and they flip out at me saying that ‘the government control what the scientists tell you!’ I enjoyed your article and unfortunately as long as youtube and blogs exist, there will always be a medium for these people to spread fear and unfounded theories to the masses. Also a quick side question, what do you and everyone else here think about the possibility of Einstein’s theory of relativity being proved wrong?

i am uncertain about this comet, and yes peer reviewed science is the way to test our theories and find the truth, how ever what a lot of our science has been based on (the speed of light) may now be irrelevent if indeed the cern tests prove to be trueand if they are proven to be true we can pretty much can the last 60 years and all of einstiens (the guy worked in a patent office come on!)theorieswill have to reworked. we as a species have only been really studying the stars intensely for the last the 400 years which is nothing, and yes i do believe in aliens in fact i agree with patrick moore that it is statistically impossible for us to be the only planet to have developed life in the universe.

hail the illuminati/freemasons/crowley/skull and bones. and of course, SATAN

Posted September 26, 2011 at 4:31 AM

If only it was possible that the comet could break into millions of pieces and kill only the conspiracy theorists. Well hey, wait a minute, maybe I can start a thing like that, get a conspiracy going, surprisingly it doesn’t sound as stupid like the rest of conspiracies.

I cant beleive all these comments. You are all a bunch of nutters! im curious what you will do when you wake up on the 27th of September and everything is the same as it was on the 25th September….no MASSIVE earthquakes or fireballs destroying the earth. i suppose you will thank god!
My divine prediction is that NOTHING WILL HAPPEN

“Once again, all I can say is that it’s an utter mystery why so feeble a comet has generated so much interest when much more exciting and visible comets (say McNaught or Holmes) were ignored!”.

I blame the University of Youtube for that.

Correction: I blame today’s education system where anything, other than the “core” subjects are not looked at. When I was a boy,(cue Hovis theme), we had science teachers who were interested in things outwith their subjects, and organisations like the Boy Scouts were popular and would encourage young people to look at things like the stars in the nightsky, weather etc.

Great article, I’ve already sent your link to someone who belives that the comet is 400miles wide and will rain death and destruction down upon us.
Hopefully they will get a good night’s sleep after reading your article.

OMG this planet seems to be crawling with Harold Camping Dopplegangers, I find these stupid doomsayers to be the most stupid, unintelligent bunch of Morons ever, the Internet has given them a soapbox from which they utter their drivel…..grow up people, either that or do us normal people a big favor and crawl back under whatever stone or dried lump you crawled out from …or in other words shut the whatsit up !!

I think there are alot of very cocky, arrogant people on this site that proclaim to know everything…my dad used to say ’empty vessels make most noise’… i think very apt for alot on this site…..stuart and ‘admin’ are 2 of ’em!!! i dont know what is going to happen, if anything….but to say its all tosh is just plain arrogant!!! how the hell do you know that, because if you were so right ,how come you havent found a cure for cancer or the secret to world piece!! because if you could answer questions of the universe, you’d sure as hell be able to sort this chance planet out!!! you, im afraid can not be so sure of the unknown and im sorry but most of the cosmos is unknown!!!

It seems we live in a world of black and white ,science has many shades of grey and for anyone to be certain of the affects of Comet Elenin is almost impossible. Theres no doubt it that it will affect the planet but how much will remain to be seen , its all finely balanced and the slightest influence can upset it , my worry is that we still know so little about comets especially long period comets ,the fact that they have much longer orbits could suggest that maybe they are more dense and could possess a high degree of iron within the rock and ice, we simply dont know but for an orbit of 11600 years ,it is by no means “lazy” ,for its size and orbit period it will have a large shockwave . It should miss us by a couple of days ,if nasa,s predictions are true.

I don’t know much about comets but remember seeing Hale-Bop in 1996/7 which was spectacular. Given that its orbital period is said to be 2,392 earth years (see link below) I’m unlikely to live long enough to see it again (with or without the intervention of Elenin!) Do we know of any other big comets that may be coming to us in the next few years to get exited about or will it just have to be a nice surprise when they turn up?

Excellent article, very easy to understand for complete space thickos like me!

Could you possibly answer one question for me?

When predictions are made about comets orbits and paths do they take into account the effect of planets (especially Earths) gravitational pull or does it remain a variable?

Basically I am just wondering why something that passes closer to us than our own moon wouldn’t be effected by our (Earths) gravitational pull and at least end up in our orbit (this is in regards to the other comet YU55).

Yes I have been reading conspiracy website, stupid thing to do I know.

When predictions are made about comets orbits and paths do they take into account the effect of planets (especially Earths) gravitational pull or does it remain a variable? YU55) then the planet’s gravity is taken into account which makes the calculations more difficult and less precise. However in the case of YU55, there is no chance of it colliding which Earth in at least the next 100 years.

I’m not concerned about Elenin hitting Earth, or Magnetic this, or gravitational that. Because the evidence is clear that that is not going to happen. What I would like to know is, if we pass through Elenin’s tail, what, if anything, is in the tail that may or may not be detrimental to Earth’s atmosphere, or even the life that is on Earth. Can anyone clarify this for me, since no-one anywhere seems to be talking about this possible event.

as an outsider of all the jargon!! i am telling you the gov are hiding something here! i can smell nonsense miles away!.. like one said i do hope my heart is wrong on this one! but why American gov got fema ready? why is nasa telling its family’s to prepare???? why has u.s president got x amount of tonnes of food being dropped off at u.s camps that have no civilians in but have thousands of 3 man coffins waiting outside the camps that have razor sharp barb wire and secured to the teeth????..

why has u.s president got x amount of tonnes of food being dropped off at u.s camps that have no civilians in but have thousands of 3 man coffins waiting outside the camps that have razor sharp barb wire and secured to the teeth?

At last we have some sanity. I do not have a scientific background nor do I claim to know everything, but this doomsday talk is destroying some peoples rational thought process. I have a friend who absolutely believes the world will end next year, and believes that I am foolish not to realise it to be true.

Some of the articles I am reading and the talk that is based around this gibberish is dangerous. The conspiracy talk is akin to the language used in-between the two great wars by dangerous individuals and organisations to manipulate and encourage fear and loathing amongst the masses.

Unfortunately we have Youtube, Blogs and wikipedia, which some people use as the modern day mediums to get their twisted and inaccurate thoughts across. So I say more power to you for putting things straight.

These are dangerous enough times without having some twisted science and pure outrageous deceitfulness thrust upon our already struggling lives. I dare say there is some serious money to be made from these claims.

I only heard about Elenin a few weeks ago. I was requested friendship by a person on Facebook via another acquaintance of mine. He posts multiple times every day about Elenin. How Earthquakes are coming, and to get prepared. It’s the end of the world. yadda yadda…I’ll be the first to admit, he completely got to me. I was being sucked in, and fast.

Your article has opened my eyes. I sincerely appreciate it! I tend to obsess, this is the last thing I needed to be obsessing over!

Also, this person has predicted a very large earthquake for tomorrow on the West coast, even keeping his children home from school.

All he said was he could take all of his supplies and guns out of his vehicle now. Today he is posting this:

“For those still don’t believe something will happen on 9/26-9/27. Why did they evacuate the space station? The Russians already came home, and we are having a news media black out about ours. Now I am absolutely convinced that the meteor we saw on 9/14 was actually our space capsule that came back.”

I of course am not educated enough on the subject to debunk him, but you can clearly see how he is causing a panic.

I can’t understand how people can live their lives thinking doomsday is coming. Go enjoy life.

“For those still don’t believe something will happen on 9/26-9/27. Why did they evacuate the space station? The Russians already came home, and we are having a news media black out about ours. Now I am absolutely convinced that the meteor we saw on 9/14 was actually our space capsule that came back”

The Space Station has not been evacuated. Three crew (one of them an American) returned on schedule after their tour of duty. There are three crew still up there. Currently the Russian rocket used to send crew there is grounded after one of them failed and the next three-person crew cannot go up there until the rockets are flying again. This is expected to be in November. If this is seriously delayed, the current crew will have return leaving the station empty as the propellent in the capsule they use to come back degrades and it will have to return by then. It isn’t by any stretch of the imagination an evacuation. See Aviation Week.

I myself am not worried about it (anymore haha). I just can not grasp why people are ripping apart facts, and twisting them around, adding in their own theory to worry people of a potential destruction.

He has posted this today..he is also still posting on Elenin and he is still determined we are in for something catastrophic on Sept 26th…

“Here are another interesting coincidence for 9/26, 9/27. For you folks in the country listed can you please verify?
United Nations has an empty schedule from Sep 23rd through October 10th,
UK Parliament is in recess from Sep 15th through October 10th,
United States Congress is on vacation from Sep 25th through Oct 2nd,
Germany’s President’s schedule is empty after Sep 25”

I cannot answer for other countries, but the UK Parliament always takes a recess at this time of year (“the Conference Season”) to allow the political parties to have their conferences. It is nothing unusual, and has been like this for decades.

You might want to also watch the lesser known movie called “Comet Impact” made about a decade later (2007). It has even more uncanny “clues” that higher up government has known a long time and are preparing us through media and “entertainment”. http://stagevu.com/video/dtvyiroklcnn

Sorry to double post, just wanted to add that I believe NASA confirmed there are no ice crystals in this object called “Elenin” (of which comets are made) and have yet to release images of any tail (possibly because there isn’t one?). While I’m at it I might suggest you research the mathematician Leonhard Euler who lived 1707 – 1783 and who’s art was featured on a 1976 Swiss bank note. It very much resembles an orbit similar to “Elenin” or possibly “Planet X”. http://blueskysunshine.org/blog/?p=4923 Also, do a Google image (only) search for Leonid Elenin. I think you’ll find there is only one, the same one clipped and repeated over and over. It just seems odd someone so “famous” wouldn’t have any additional poses from interviews or other news stories, etc. Sorry to be a party pooper, I didn’t even realize you were trying to debunk the subject matter. I just got excited when I saw “10 truths…” and the giant image of the “Deep Impact movie poster, lol. 🙂 Peace.

NASA …. have yet to release images of any tail (possibly because there isn’t one?

The comet does have a tail, see images at the Southern Comets page. NASA is not the sole source of astronomical knowledge.

the mathematician Leonhard Euler who lived 1707 – 1783 and who’s art was featured on a 1976 Swiss bank note. It very much resembles an orbit similar to “Elenin”

So what? Euler was a great scholar who determined cometary orbits very accurately and to celebrate this they put some examples on a banknote. What on Earth has this to do with Comet Elenin?

do a Google image (only) search for Leonid Elenin. I think you’ll find there is only one

So what? Do a google image search for me and there is only one, yet I exist.

Sorry to be a party pooper, I didn’t even realize you were trying to debunk the subject matter.

I’m not trying to debunk anything, I wrote this originally to reassure the people who were e-mailing me asking if the comet was going to kill them. They had been frightened by people making up and circulating nonsense. You clearly don’t really believe the world is coming to an end because you wouldn’t be sitting reading this if you did, so what are you trying to do?

I have never seen this movie, although I am delighted to see it is set in Ireland (although not the real Ireland, obviously, see the geographic goofs). But the idea that “the government” leaks info about future events though obscure movies is silly.

OMFG what are most of these posts about. Doomsdayers will always say that the world is going to end on XXXX but when it doesnt then go on to say sorry or calculations were slightly out we meant XXXX then do so again and again and again. And for all the people who say that but a comet will wipe us all out, i agree it might but certainly not in my lifetime, when did the last ELE object hit us. Trying to say we are due another one soon because that hit us XXXmillion years ago. WRONG although it did hit us when dinosaurs roamed, given the age of the universe that happened yesterday in comparison. Get a grip guys and stop scaring gullible people who believe everything the read on the net, or even in papers. Just because someone writes or says it doesnt meke it true, and before all you jump on and say ‘but that goes for what you read here’ true but totally stupid comment

OMFG what are most of these posts about. Doomsdayers will always say that the world is going to end on XXXX but when it doesnt then go on to say sorry or calculations were slightly out we meant XXXX then do so again and again and again. And for all the people who say that but a comet will wipe us all out, i agree it might but certainly not in my lifetime, when did the last ELE object hit us. Trying to say we are due another one soon because that hit us XXXmillion years ago. WRONG although it did hit us when dinosaurs roamed, given the age of the universe that happened yesterday in comparison. Get a grip guys and stop scaring gullible people who believe everything the read on the net, or even in papers. Just because someone writes or says it doesnt meke it true.

admin ~ I’ve read every post here and though I had been feeling uncomfortable about all the doom and gloom your science responses have help put me at ease. While reading the many posts about Elenin I came across videos of weird sounds coming from the earth that no one has explained. It is truly strange and frightening, and when reading all the doom and gloom about Elenin and prophecies of destruction, it seems to add support to the the doomsdayer claims…. Although you are not so far discussing earthquakes, can address these bizarre sounds coming from the earth? I thought I read that these sounds were heard just before the quake in Mineral, VA but maybe that was a fake video… tyvm

I can’t wait until this one becomes visible to the naked eye. It’s supposed to be with us for a while…and in the UK we don’t get toooo many clear nights over the winter. I just hope I get a chance to see it properly 🙂

Just a question for Admin….Mr Elenin has stated in his update that the Comet has broken up, with a maximum size of no more than a 100 meters. What are your views on what may happen to Elenin.
Will it continue to break up?
Will it hold its current trajectory?
Would you agree its unlikeley we will see anything by the end of this month? I have a 70mm Telescope.
Thanks

I don’t know, comets’ internal make-up seems to be very variable. Historically some have broken into a couple of big pieces, others have completely disintegrated, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Will it hold its current trajectory?

Absolutely, there’s nothing to change it. There seems to be a line of false reasoning out there that if an orbiting object separates into smaller pieces, the pieces move into new orbits. That’s totally wrong (when the Shuttle undocked from the Space Station their orbits didn’t change), the bits of the comet will just continue on the way they were going. See also the Astroblogger on Will the fragments of comet Elenin room on Earth?

Would you agree its unlikeley we will see anything by the end of this month?

The prospects of most amateurs seeing it have declined. Bur good luck with your telescope. Why not have a go at spotting Comet Garradd?

Good Evening, I also just stumbled upon this site as well, just like Mr.Funk September 5th 2011. I live in another country away from my family at the moment and have been rather confused and maybe a bit scared concerning this information. I am not involved in Astronomy, I am an artist and I would like to continue to do so when I return to my husband and son on September 25th 2011 thus I prefer to listen to the science. Furthermore, it seems like some people want this terrible thing to happen, possibly to justify a conspiratorial or religious belief system? I am glad I found this site. I can sleep soundly tonight in the knowledge that I may still get to see my son soon and my husband. I did however appreciate all the comments posted even though I chose to follow the science. In my world wide travels I have come to know a great deal of wonderful people and I would like to think that the infinite that has many names would not subject us to such a tragedy. The world is not perfect I know that, however it does not deserve to be destroy as some are implying. It certainly could use a spring clean but not total annihilation. Just my thoughts, I know they are not science based however, I am one of the people that is being scared, so the best person to listen to is an astronomer on this topic. Many Thanks for reading this – that is if I was able to send it to the right address , I am a bit of a blond at times. LOL

You and your family have nothing to fear, but unfortunately this is the world we live in. My teenage son has got caught up with this. He has mentioned about the point in going to school with the impending doom. This has all come about because of youtube.
I’ve had a good chat to him about people’s so called agenda’s on posting fear on social media, and tried to steer him towards researching the facts and making his own assumptions.
As for Comet Elenin it has broken up http://spaceobs.org/ru/2011/09/03/comet-elenin-the-final-prospect/ click english on drop down.
But for the doomsayers the goal posts have just moved and you will find countless other
theories about.

I only happened upon the blog as I was sick and flaming tired of paranoid conspiracy nonsense from a friend of mine on facebook. I’ve just spent a good hour reading through all the other stuff here and though I know bum all squared about some of the subject matter it’s incredibly interesting.
Top work there fella.

Another strange idea about Comet Elenin, by Richard C. Hoagland a former space science museum curator; a former NASA consultant, and during the historic Apollo Missions to the Moon, was science advisor to Walter Cronkite and CBS News.

The author admits that in the future there may well be a doomsday comet with our number on it.
But in this age of social media overkill with Youtube doomsayers, Facebook’s vain generation and Twitter being weaponised for organizing rioting and looting, our biggest threat is obvious.
Maybe we should look skyward for inspiration not fear.

Almost certainly not. It’s not quite impossible but it is extremely unlikely. Any companion to the Sun would have to be very small and distant (as its gravity clearly doesn’t effect the orbits of the planets) and dim (as we haven’t noticed it). A distant (about a light year away) brown dwarf would be a possibility but there is no reason to suspect that the Sun is part of a binary system.

Why is everyone ignoring Comet Levy. It comes much closer and we cross paths 2 times. Oct when Elenin -outbound is leaving and in the same area as levy on it way inbound. Then we dance with levy around the sun for 6 months and pass through its tail again May 2012. Noy to mention the 2011 Nov 25: Partial Solar Eclipse
2011 Dec 10: Total Lunar Eclipse

It really is crazy that people think that a comet which is has no magnetic field can cause damage to the Earth by magnetic force. Scare mongerers really do my head in! Like that wierdo who said “the rapture” was coming i actually rang the radio station the day it was supposed to happen i left a message on the answer phone with my contact details and asked for a call back the next day. Safe to say i never got a call back about the end of the world the following day. That guy took millions of pounds of people brainwashing them into believe that it was coming to an end. You tell people enough times about something an the people are easily led will believe anything you want them to believe an its like that with this comet! Bring on the dates for Elenin because i am no way scared of a comet because it is just a COMET!!! rant over sorry….

Hi, a few weeks ago, I commented on the earlier version of the document you’ve kindly linked to. I’m sorry to say that it is still a bundle of nonsense. It’s difficult for me to have anything nice to say about anyone who knowingly invents and circulates stuff like this so I won’t say anything else about the author .

Please don’t waste any more time on this rubbish, there are so many better ways to spend your time!

if nothings happening and everythings ok and we can all go back to sleep…why are there 100’s of under ground survival bunkers being built all over the world by the elite, by the rich, by governments etc…an under ground bunker/seed vault on an island off the coast of Norway has been built/funded by bill gates…this place stores collections of all the different seeds of the world…has he done this for fun or as a just in case or maybe cause he’s privy to coming events

why are there 100′s of under ground survival bunkers being built all over the world by the elite, by the rich, by governments etc

Please provide references.

You do know that there is more than a thousand similar seed vaults around the world? The Norway one is just the biggest and best. The Norwegian governent paid for its construction. The Gates Foundation contributes to its running costs. You can read more here: Svalbard Seed Vault

ya i been searching about this Elenin Comet , i herd its so pose to miss us by 21 million Miles , witch is far , but if NASA is off on there Calculations we could be in trouble, i would love to see this Elenin comet , i live in Manitoba Canada is there any chance i could see it ?, is it true there is another Asteroid behind this one ?

Hi, thanks for the links. If you accept all this Electric Universe / Plasma Cosmology stuff, does it not ever make you wonder why astronomers do not take it seriously (if they are even aware of it at all)?

Comets have always been known as harbingers of doom, there is no logical reason for this that i can see but then again i can only see in a very limited spectrum, Haleys comet caused large amounts of hysteria back in 1910 of cause some people may attribute the great war to that particular comets passing.

One thing i am sure of is that the power elite would be making provision for there survival if there was any danger from just about anything…. so as always just follow the money.

Great post!! I respect and admire you for clearing all this mess up!
But I still have something uncleared: what about the 5000 shelters built by Russia, USA, China etc..? Is this true? And if it is why would they build them knowing that all that information you posted is true?

Well, I happen to live in China (even though I’m British), with a population this large, cities this dense and communities as close as they are something would have been mentioned, news travels fast. And guess what? Nothing. Nada, Zip, Zilch, Bugger all.

How depressing to see people manipulated by opportunistic doomsayers! Instead, all this energy should be put to use helping those in need here on Earth, who are experiencing a catastrophe provoked not by comets or UFOs, but by the carelessness of humans, which is something to be feared much more than uninteresting chunks of ice.

It amazes and dismays me the number of people who won’t accept that A+B=C. They just believe in D and will pluck X, N, G, and R from the air, quote a few lines from a newspaper article, a youtube vid, 2 lines from the bible and say “Ha! Explain that with yer book-lernin!”

The answer is very simple. Google Sky is made from data from various surveys of the sky. Not all are complete. Areas where no data is present in the chosen wavelength bands appear black. No body is trying to hide anything and it would be stupid to even try (as anyone with a telescope could see what was being hidden).

so the point of the story is ! those that believe in the end of days ,line up and wait for the comet with arms wide open. those that do not ,line up and have a party . and for those that do not simply care laugh at the other two.

Hi folks, I have read a lot of what has been said, but one thing comes to mind. This world is not going anywhere at least untill the Lord Jesus comes back. my advice is look for him.
Look to the middle east that is where it all started and were it will all finish. ephesians 1 v4to9.

4) I’m sure we came close to bigger comets, yet we are still here, what does that tell

5) people are entitled to their opinions, no matter how foolish, misguided, ignorant or Ill-informed they may be, failure to do any form of research entitles others to call you a twit, the larger the omission, the stronger the chastisement.

In my personal opinion, I believe that NASA’s STEREO-B might very well be following comet Elenin as to alleviate the many fears of people who believe these conspiracy theories. This subject has gotten blown out of proportion..and NASA appears to be held responsible for everything lately by many people. Reminds me of “it’s George Bush’s fault!” when something goes wrong. If I were hounded constantly by so many disbelieving people, I would indeed take the oppotunity with STEREO-B to prove to them with actual measurements, that there is nothing to worry about! So for anyone who wonders why NASA is suddenly “interested” in Elenin…YOU made them do it!

I had a query with regards to Google sky. In the constellations of leo and virgo, there has been a deliberate blacking out of certain images, when u look at them through the infrared camera. http://www.google.com/sky/ , with co-ordinates 13 degrees, 15’2.3″ (After zooming in thrice for leo). and for virgo with infrared zoomed in twice it is -8 degrees 36’9.9″. Could you tell me why this has been done? I dont see the need to hide anything in the sky, if nothing is going to happen. I just want to say that i dont think anything will, but its better to ask than to keep wondering! thanks! =)

Reading the comments here brought me to tears, as someone who used to to regular battle with Nancy Lieder and her band of (removed- ADMIN), I am appalled to see the same droolings trotted out again and again.

I’ll make a deal with all the doom cultists…..If Elenin strikes the Earth we’ll most likely die…..so be fair, if it doesn’t, kill yourselves…..rid out planet of the stench of your unbearable stupidity.

Just for ONCE put something on the line people, instead of just shouting “end of the world next tuesday” then changing your story on wednesday.
I still remember Nancy lying low for a few months when Nibblyballs or whatever it was called didn’t arrive in march 2003……then popping up again on the 2012 bandwagon.

There is enough wonder and mystery in the skies without your (Removed- ADMIN) (and damaging) delusions. Read a science book, or if that is too hard, have someone read it to you.

if you are referring to others then fair enough i agree with you.( and I apologise in advance for the comments below )

if you are referring to me(then I dont apologise) ,(removed- ADMIN), im entitled to ask questions on stuff in the press that i have little or no knowledge about – from a source ( admin ) that is well balanced and based on scientific fact. and dont expect sarcastic answers (edited- ADMIN) from a pretend know it all pontificating his idiotic views. nuff said

This is mainly addressed to Steve Campbell and topcat, but anyone participating in these comments sections ought to take note.

Your comments are very welcome, however please keep a civil tone. Insulting or threating language is not permitted and will be edited from posts in future or may even lead to your comment being rejected.

Note also that I will remove offensive language: all of Armagh Planetarium’s website is intended to be family friendly.

just read a news article in daily mail, where Nasa have had to comment on Elenin’s trajectory, to calm down the scaremongering that its going to hit earth. Where do they get their data from? more interesting in the article is an asteroid 99942 Apophis which is claimed in 2036 there is a one in 250,000 chance of a hit – what info do you have / is avaialable on this? thanks.

how rediculously stupid and naive can someone get??? this comet is not going to have the slightest effect on our planet, mostly because it is not just too small, but travelling too quickly. the masses of land and water that are apparently going to be shifted will simply accelerate too slowly for too short’o’time to have an effect on us. That is if it was going to move 30 times it’s own weight in land and water.

That’s what I had figured. I know that Google Earth is quite outdated (some pictures of my area are from the early 90’s actually). So that makes perfect sense.

Thank you admin for clearing that up. I am no longer worried about it!

One other note:
I noticed last night (before I had posted), that there’s a very large bright white object in the night sky (right now its near the middle, almost straight up, 4am PST). I’m assuming this is Venus now, based off further proper research. I also had noticed some flashing lights that almost look kind of red, and almost a straight line instead of the normal sphere look. Again, I’m taking that these are just normal satellites, probably slow moving ones, because they move faster than the stars do, but I cannot see them actually moving with my bare eyes.

Again, thank you very much for putting this together. This plus another thread I had read yesterday, really put my mind at ease, since these are all backed by factual evidence, and proper sources.

there’s a very large bright white object in the night sky (right now its near the middle, almost straight up, 4am PST). I’m assuming this is Venus now, based off further proper research. I also had noticed some flashing lights that almost look kind of red, and almost a straight line instead of the normal sphere look.

I’m not sure what you are seeing, can you give me an idea which direction you are lookin?

I’m looking East. Again, I’m in Washington state, so its PST, roughly 4am. I’m honestly thinking the flashy red lights are low speed satellites (almost straight east, low horizon). The larger bright star looking thing, I’m guessing is Venus. It’s appearing to move more South with every night, and its usually fairly high up in the sky.

Whatever the really bright one is, its outshining the North Star considerably (and it does look, just like a really bright star). Times like these, I really wish I still had all my star gazing equipment from when I was a kid. That would have been able to tell me what I was seeing, at least with the really bright star looking thing.

There is one theory that I haven’t actually seen asked about yet, and its the one that concerns me the most (I do feel 100x better after reading this ENTIRE blog though).

I’ve read somewhere, just this morning, that Elenin is actually electrically charged, and that its growing larger and larger as it gets closer to the sun (electrical opposites). They had also said something about how while Elenin is coming back around, and we go through the tail of it, that we’re going to go through a huge electric flash from that comet and all life will be lost. Not saying that I personally believe this after reading this long thread here. If Elenin really was that large already it would be painfully obvious to the naked eye. Also, the person that had claimed the electrical energy theory or whatever it was, had stated that Elenin was 200,000km wide now, and that’s all electrical energy. I now understand that’s actually just basically an “atmosphere” so to speak (forget the proper term).

I know it sounds silly of me, but I was actually growing very worried with all of the fear mongering posts I was coming up with about Elenin.

Another question I have, what about Google Sky (Earth or whatever it is) supposedly blocking out images of Elenin? I read that on another one of the posts somewhere around the internet this morning, and there was even a youtube video to show exactly how to see where Elenin is supposed to be, but its not there.

So we can conclude 100% that Elenin will not, in any way, be a negative life changing event? What about anything else that we already know about (the other comets mentioned here)?

I’ve read somewhere, just this morning, that Elenin is actually electrically charged, and that its growing larger and larger as it gets closer to the sun (electrical opposites). They had also said something about how while Elenin is coming back around, and we go through the tail of it, that we’re going to go through a huge electric flash from that comet and all life will be lost.

It’s very unlikely this comet (or any others) have any large electrical charge. As to it causing a disaster, well just think how many comets have passed Earth by going far back into history…and we’re still here!

Also, the person that had claimed the electrical energy theory or whatever it was, had stated that Elenin was 200,000km wide now, and that’s all electrical energy. I now understand that’s actually just basically an “atmosphere” so to speak (forget the proper term).

It is the atmosphere (or coma) and it has grown to 200 000km wide, this is pretty well what was expected.

what about Google Sky (Earth or whatever it is) supposedly blocking out images of Elenin?

Google Sky is not constantly updated, in fact some of the images making it up are decades old! The comet is not being hidden, it was only found last year so no images of it are included.

I’m glad you are finding this blog useful and please don’t worry about this comet!

I’d say the chances are pretty low. They are not going to come anywhere close to each other. Why do you think there is a possibility of them colliding?

As to any of the comets colliding with an unknown object, well it is possible. Anything yet to be discovered in this region is likely to be pretty small (2010TK7, the Trojan asteroid is only a couple of hundred metres across), such a a collision would be interesting to scientists but of no lasting importance. See this post for the details of the only known collision between asteroids: http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/asteroids-collide-nobody-notices-until-a-year-later.html.

I was asked the same thing yesterday so I’ll just repeat what I said then:

Not really, the particles in a CME are very diffuse. They are fast moving, but light in mass, and not enough would fall on a comet’s nucleus (which weighs billions of tonnes or more) to affect is trajectory. A CME moving a comet’s nucleus would like a soccer goalkeeper taking a deep breath and trying to blow an incoming ball away from the net!

A CME is a Coronal Mass Ejection, a more extreme event than a solar flare.

These CMEs you talk about have enough force to project out millions of miles away from the sun but you say they have not enough force?

And even if it would change the comets trajectory a few inches when its closest to the sun this could amount to a much higher difference distance-wise when it reaches earth (I mean much higher difference to its original predicted trajectory when it reaches earth).

Hi, well the fact they can travel for millions of km does not mean they’ll transmit a lot of force to anything they hit. If you look at the data from the Windows to the Universe site , you’ll see that they are incredibly tenuous (100,000 particles per cubic cm), that’s the next best thing to nothing!

I actually agree with the idea of your second point, but it would not be as extreme as that. The gravitational forces from the planets or thrust of matter escaping from the comet itself are tiny but woud have a greater inluence on its trajectory.

what are your thoughts on ANY possibility that the elenin/honda comets could hit the newly found trojan asteroid – or others that have not been found yet?. What are the implications if there is a collision?

Not really, the particles in a CME are very diffuse. They are fast moving, but light in mass, and not enough would fall on a comet’s nucleus (which weighs billions of tonnes or more) to affect is trajectory. A CME moving a comet’s nucleus would like a soccer goalkeeper taking a deep breath and trying to blow an incoming ball away from the net!

Actually, I do believe that discussing plasma cosmology is quite relevant because as long as the classical concept of cosmology is adhered to scientists will always dismiss the real possibility that alignments have a real effect on our little ball of mud and they will never stop looking in the wrong place for answers.

If we start looking in the right direction for answers, I can quit having to answer such lame questions as, “Well, if Elenin’s gravity is causing earthquakes, then why isn’t it having more of an effect on the tides like the moon does?” In which case I always have to answer with something like, “Well, DUH, because gravity has very little to do with it! It’s the electromagnetism that’s causing it.”

I can quit having to answer such lame questions as, “Well, if Elenin’s gravity is causing earthquakes, then why isn’t it having more of an effect on the tides like the moon does?” In which case I always have to answer with something like, “Well, DUH, because gravity has very little to do with it! It’s the electromagnetism that’s causing it.”

You do have to accept though that when you use the term “electromagnetism”, you are not using it in any way that scientists recognise. Comets are not associated with powerful EM field nor are earthquakes. Scientists observing the Earth’s magnetic field do not find any influence on it from other planets never mind comets.

There really does seem to an attitude out there desperate to find a rationale for this comet to be a destructive influence on the Earth. I do not understand this at all.

Hi Colin, with regard to the safety alert/ info given to NASA personnel, I’m surprised nobody has posted the content here, surely if it’s been leaked that such a memo went out, then that information would have been sourced by now…?

hmmmmmm …..
You have to overlook a ton of evidence and coincidences in order to ignore Comet Elenin. Plus, you have failed to mention that Elenin may not be an isolated event. Keep in mind besides Elenin we have two more comets and five asteroids to contend with this Fall. How can you ignore Elenin as well as our other vistors from outer space is beyond me.
Do you know about the strange astronomical event happening Sept 28-Nov 24, 2011 during Rosh Hashannah?? How about the three days of darkness on Earth Sept 26,27,the 28th?

This is grade A nonsense.
Far worse though the link contains seriously offensive assertions; that the 9/11 tragedy is an event that can now be used as an astrological marker.
Truly sickening & you should be ashamed of yourself.

Thanks for your informative answers. Actually very helpful.
I guess with the NASA questions example, it all depends on who responds to queries at the time. Just bad luck I guess.
As to what Naked said,” it only comes by every thousand years or so” – he is so wrong. The orbital period of ELE is around 11,750 years (source; Wiki). Friendly advice; MUST complete homework BEFORE posting…

Elenin has been called ‘puny’ and ‘wimpish’ by some of more well known organisations (NASA being one of them).
So, why IS NASA turning STEREO B around to get images of Comet Elenin – for 12 days in August??
Surely, if Elenin is all the things it’s being called above, what’s the point? After all,there are many comets that fly by each year….
Have NASA ever done this before??
By the way, I’ve found out what NASA stands for, when you ask them a question. You get “Never A Straight Answer” in reply!!

Simple answers for some simple questions asked by a simple person.
1. Even if it is puny and wimpish as you put it, it only comes by every thousand years or so so NASA want some pictures.
2. Yes, NASA takes pictures of things in space pretty much all the time.
3. You do get a straight answer, whether you understand it or not is your problem.

The STEREO B satellite is being used to observe the comet because by pure coincidence it will pass relatively close by STEREO-B (I’m not sure what the closest separation will be, but it will still be millions of kilometres). You can see this yourself using the STEREO site and the NASA Small Body Database visualisation tool. The results aren’t likely to be very visually impressive as it is small and “puny” but viewing the comet with this satellite is too good an opportunity to miss!

Anorak said So, why IS NASA turning STEREO B around to get images of Comet Elenin – for 12 days in August??… Have NASA ever done this before??

Yes they have done it when hunting for Lagrange Asteroids. Elenin will be the first comet close enough to STEREO B to make it worthwhile (I’m one of the STEREOHUNTERS by the way, folks who monitor comets and stuff in STEREO images)

Lifting images from JPL etc is fine but planting them in amongst a load of old tosh does not make it real any more than sprinkling chocolate chips over a bin of cold and rancid potato peelings turns it into a bowl of icecream!

Read the first paragraph of that document again, the whole gravity doesn’t exist, it’s really magnetism and by the way it’s atmospheric pressure that holds us down on the Earth’s surface bit. Is that not ridiculous?

The guy doesn’t even realise that telescopes invert images. He spends a lot of time comparing stellarium visualizations to telescopic images to telescopic images claiming that Saturn has tilted, without realizing that its just the effect of the telescope optics inverting the image.

I would like to know how you explain the major earthquakes that have so far occurred every time Elenin has aligned with the Sun and Earth? Chile, New Zealand and Japan.. Do you think this is pure coincidence? The most recent planetary alignment coincided with 2 huge quakes close to NZ again. The 5 quakes I refer to are the largest on Earth in the last 4 years. How do you explain this? Thanks 🙂

All you are doing is picking one set of events (large earthquakes) and another (approaching comet) and saying there is a causal connection. You could do this with lots of things. For example it rained today and I was wearing a blue shirt, the last day I wore a blue shirt it rained too, gosh, my wardrobe controls the weather!

On a more serious note, reading through the comments here, I believe this is the first reference to psychology (and psychological phenomena – a term I just made up) being mentioned as a possible explanation for all these relatively far-fetched theories being thrown around. The thing that draws people to believe such things with incomplete or unfounded evidence is one and the same with what keeps people drawn to a particular belief system. Pretty broad and generic comment I know, but this back-and-forth about comet Elenin is becoming less about astronomy, and more about psychology. Probably pretty obvious to most, but thought I’d be the one to mention it.

Hello again, I asked two questions, on my previous post, which were not answered.
First was concerning trajectory, I have found the answer elsewhere and now understand that to be 1.8 to the ecliptic. (in case anyone might be interested)

My second point concerned my opinion that we may be in for a spectacular meteor shower, I was pleased to read Ian Musgrave’s blog where he states the very same thing! So there’s not much cause to label me ‘nutter’ so far, is there?

When I found this site it was at the top of a google search for “comet elenin”, it still is. The next site on the list is Discovery News, not a so called conspiracy site. There you will find that the ‘screenshot’ for Oct.19th plots elenin’s trajectory as travelling clockwise (viewed from northern hemisphere) which is the opposite direction to most others, just another example of why some people are saying that the information we are getting from so called experts is misleading/confusing/non-existent.

Please can we keep this page about elenin and not get distracted by things like peak oil etc.
I don’t expect an astronomer to have as broad an understanding, of the mass of information being kept hidden from the general population, as a seasoned truth researcher does. So lets stick with the attitude that we are all in this together eh?

Whilst looking at other mainstream science sites I noticed yesterday that the term “brightening considerably” is being used to describe elenin. Other mainstream astronomers have also said that it “has the potential to become one of the great comets”, a little different to the opinion of “wimpy” and “insignificant” used elsewhere on this site.

When I have more time I will come back and post information about the possibility of elenin triggering an ice age(if I am allowed)

“Hello again, I asked two questions, on my previous post, which were not answered.”
Apologies, sorry I missed them.

“First was concerning trajectory, I have found the answer elsewhere and now understand that to be 1.8 to the ecliptic. (in case anyone might be interested)!
OK

“My second point concerned my opinion that we may be in for a spectacular meteor shower, I was pleased to read Ian Musgrave’s blog where he states the very same thing!”
Can you show me where you saw this?

“When I found this site it was at the top of a google search for “comet elenin”, it still is. The next site on the list is Discovery News, not a so called conspiracy site. There you will find that the ‘screenshot’ for Oct.19th plots elenin’s trajectory as travelling clockwise (viewed from northern hemisphere) which is the opposite direction to most others, just another example of why some people are saying that the information we are getting from so called experts is misleading/confusing/non-existent.”

You mean this post by Ray Villard? I don’t get your point; it shows where the comet is with respect to Earth, everything is clearly labelled, the planets are in the right positions and so on.

“Please can we keep this page about elenin and not get distracted by things like peak oil etc.”
I agree, although it was instructive how the chap who brought up all the “lying oil company” stuff seemed to have no actual facts to back up his assertions.

“I don’t expect an astronomer to have as broad an understanding, of the mass of information being kept hidden from the general population, as a seasoned truth researcher does. So lets stick with the attitude that we are all in this together eh?”
We are all in this together. My job is to educate people about space and astronomy and I do that as best as I can. How do I get to be “seasoned truth researcher” then? Many of the commenters on this issue seem to be just making stuff up, which I find astonishing. How does that fit in with “truth research?

“Whilst looking at other mainstream science sites I noticed yesterday that the term “brightening considerably” is being used to describe elenin. Other mainstream astronomers have also said that it “has the potential to become one of the great comets”, a little different to the opinion of “wimpy” and “insignificant” used elsewhere on this site.”
This is quote is from Alan Hale. If you read the rest of his article (which was at http://spaceobs.org/en/2011/07 but seems to be down at the moment) it goes to say that this was unlikely, it was already looking less impressive than expected.

“When I have more time I will come back and post information about the possibility of elenin triggering an ice age(if I am allowed)”
You are very welcome to post your ideas, but I reserve the right to make my own comments on them. I have approved every comment submitted to the blog since it started so please don’t think I’m censoring debate. (NB I have edited out some colourful language from some comments by others; this is because Armagh Planetarium is an educational charity and we expect this site to be used as a resource by children.)

Jimi wrote: “My second point concerned my opinion that we may be in for a spectacular meteor shower, I was pleased to read Ian Musgrave’s blog where he states the very same thing!”

Umm, no, no I didn’t (I have written about the Southern Delta Aquarids, which are a modest, not spectacular, meteor shower).

While there is a remote possibility that Elenin may produce meteors, our past experience with dynamically new comets has been very disappointing (ie sod all).

Whilst looking at other mainstream science sites I noticed yesterday that the term “brightening considerably” is being used to describe elenin. Yes, its brightened from magnitude 13 to magnitude 10. When an astronomer calls a comet “bright”, it means that the comet is brighter than magnitude 12.

Ekenin was thought to get as bright as magnitude 4, but recent observations make it look as if it will get no brighter than magnitude 6.

By the way Eddie…Big oil has not hidden these oil reserves they have informed Consumers as well as our Government about our massive oil deposits….they are not allowed to drill for them! Do some more research on this! They have been prevented from drilling and from building refinieries (Last one built in the seventies I believe).

I agree with Eddie…You seem to be backing two of the biggest hoaxes…peak oil and global warming. Both backed by Politicians who have green Technology interest and stand to make Millions on alternate fuel and power. I also find your comments on earthquake activity to be misguided. To suggest that these great earthquakes happen all the time…we just don’t hear about them??? The last three earth quakes were truly (I hope) one of a kind…changing the Earths rotation!Then your comments on past Civilizations is misinformed as well… do your research! I am not buying the Elenin theory of destruction but will keep my eye on it!

C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS.
Pan-STARRS Telescope.
This one could be a gem. First time in our system. Near full parabolic path. Info is still being collected. Will be around 30 million miles from our star, almost the same as mercury from the star. 2013 is the date for this comet.(No it wont hit earth or have an effect on our planet).

Sorry needed to add somthing diffrent. I have lived through a number of dooms days now. Its annoying. Theres so much more to look forward to. I dont understand how people can get stuck on one subject. The brain is so much more powerful. Some poeple are offended when you tell them to buy or get access to a scope and look for themselves. They seem to need someone with a Phd or a degree to tell them the truth. Just try to remember the first people to award a degree did not have degrees. Anyhoo, Im rambling. I like this subject. Will be back. Would you like ice with that?

I have to agree. You were easily winning the debate. But once you mentioned peak oil and global warming I am now second guessing. You seem to be a smart guy, I suggest you do some research into these topics.

First PEAK Oil is a sham put out by the oil companies to create a false sense of scarcity. There has been more oil found within US borders than in all of the middle east combined. Check out the Bakkan reserves, Prudo Bay.

Also they have found that there is orders of magnitudes more oil if you go deep enough.

The Russians proved this when they drilled down to 40,000 feet on land and hit way more oil than they ever expected. In fact another phoney theory thrown out by the oil companies is that oil is a ‘fossil fuel’. Again by drilling way deep to depths below where any life existed on earth the Russians again proved this theory is false.

It seems that if yo go deep enough you hit the motherload of reserves, 35000+ ft. This deep reserve level, probably created by earth’s natural geological processes seems to feed the shallower deposits which are normally drilled. In fact there are many cases of dried up oil wells replenishing!

As for Global Warming, man has only been around to collect weather data for what, a couple hundred years? We don’t have enough data yet to know whats going on. The same guys who started the global warming theory were the SAME guys who were promoting global cooling in the 70s. Jesse Ventura did a very informative show on one of his episodes of conpiracy theory.

As egotistical as man is, he thinks he is important enough to effect the temperature on earth enough to make any sort of difference. But in fact we are probably just like fleas on the back of a dog. We probably, as much as we’d like to think, effect the earth’s weather in any meaningful way.

There is one obvious constant with the weather, and that is change. When man has been around another million years and collects enough data, then I’ll start to listen to the scientists. There are probably long cycles spanning thousands or millions of years that effect the weather. Also there are probably cycles within cycles within cycles.

We just don’t know. So please do not promote the global warming scandal. The politicians are already ready to start charging you on carbon taxes. NONSENSE.

As for ELENIN, from all the looks of it, it seems like a puny little comet. Probably just a coincidence that is will pass by earth in 2012.

But one thing to consider. Ok it has a small coma, but how do we know it is a comet at all and not a spaceship? Or a spaceship hiding behind this comet to come right at 2012.

Far out, yes. You never know. But one thing is certain, by the sheer numbers of stars and planets out there, there must be intelligent life out there. If you believe Mr X, the whistleblower. He said if world governments don’t announce their existance, they would.

It think its time for the human race to grow u and get their heads out of the sand. Time to join the galactic neighborhood. BTW, no nukes allowed in someone else’s backyard =)

Oh and I forgot to mention that was what BP was going after in the gulf with the deepwater horizon well that blew. That was one of the deepest wells ever drilled in the gulf. They found ‘the source’ as the Russians did. But they were careless and foolish drilling IN WATER, NOT LAND without knowing what to expect. The pressures at this distance are overwhelming and their equipment couldn’t handle it.

“First PEAK Oil is a sham put out by the oil companies to create a false sense of scarcity.”

Reference please.

“There has been more oil found within US borders than in all of the middle east combined. “

Reference please.

“Check out the Bakkan reserves”

500 million barrels at best according to the oildrum.com. Global annual extraction of oil is 31.5 billion barrels according to BP. The Bakkan reserves contains 1/63 of a single years production. Has someone been trying to sell you shares in a well there? There is a lot of misinformation about this according to snopes.com.

“Prudo Bay”

According to BP Prudhoe Bay still contains 13 billion barrels exploitable with current technology, nice to have but remember the US consumes 7.5 million barrels per day (see US Energy Information Administration’s website). The US alone could consume the whole Prudhoe Bay reserves in less than five years.

“Also they have found that there is orders of magnitudes more oil if you go deep enough.”

Reference please.

“The Russians proved this when they drilled down to 40,000 feet on land and hit way more oil than they ever expected.”
This was the Kola borehole? Reference please for oil being recovered from it.

“In fact another phoney theory thrown out by the oil companies is that oil is a ‘fossil fuel’. “
I think you’ll find that this is the geology and palaeontology community’s theory. Have the world’s universities been in on this as well since the 1800s?

“Again by drilling way deep to depths below where any life existed on earth the Russians …(Snipped for length- ADMIN)…feed the shallower deposits which are normally drilled. “
Reference please.

“In fact there are many cases of dried up oil wells replenishing!”

Reference please.

“As for Global Warming, man has only been around to collect weather data for what, a couple hundred years?”

We have evidence from ice cores etc much older than that.

“Jesse Ventura did a very informative show on one of his episodes of conpiracy theory.”

Jesse Ventura, are you serious? He was great in Predator and that X-Files episode, but as a climatologist?

“We probably, as much as we’d like to think, effect the earth’s weather in any meaningful way.”

If only that were true, the evidence says different!

“There are probably long cycles spanning thousands or millions of years that effect the weather. Also there are probably cycles within cycles within cycles.”

We’re in total agreement here.

“But one thing to consider. Ok (Elenin) has a small coma, but how do we know it is a comet at all and not a spaceship? Or a spaceship hiding behind this comet to come right at 2012.”

I guess we don’t, but it looks like any other comet, it’s in an absolutely classic long period comet orbit. There is zero reason to think it is anything other than a comet!

“But one thing is certain, by the sheer numbers of stars and planets out there, there must be intelligent life out there.”

Nice article, very informative.
Although I understood none of the legit science (I’m way to young to get it) it was still intresting to see the back and forth going on.
Naturally, with all the media attention, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried about the 2012 scenario, though I see no reason people want to be right about shch an awful situation? Congrats, you were right, enjoy being crushed.
It’s irritating when things like this are blown out of proportion, there just has to be something to be worried about.
Maybe it’s just my head overreacting, but I cant
help but imagine if these theories are true?
I guess we’ll soon see, feeling a tad pessimistic though 🙁

Hey thanks for posting this and setting the record straight. I am so sick of all these videos making Elenin out to be some fake Nibiru stuff (slight edit of colourful metaphor -ADMIN). Also people are now saying it is part of the Hopi prophecy. This is ridiculous . I think back to Hale Bopp and i remember the suicides from people thinking that they could send their souls to a spaceship that followed the comet. People are stupid!!

Thanks for the informative article-I had been hoping the comet would have been considerably larger however I look forward to desperately trying to make out Elenin’s fuzzy blob this autumn and expect to be celebrating christmas later in the year.

The conspiricy theories would be funny if so many people didn’t take them seriously.

The Shuttle’s missions have ended for financial, technical & political reasons.
Furthermore, the US and NASA do not have anything like a monopoly on space; European, Russian & Asian space programs continue apace.

Science and scientists are trustworthy, conspiricy theorists can verify this by learning maths and physics.

This article is brilliant, I can’t believe despite all of the evidence you have given that the comet will not hit our planet or even have a large effect on it, that they still think that the stuff (very slight edit to colourful metaphor- ADMIN) going to hit the fan, I find it absolutely ridiculous how they try to dismiss all of the evidence given by saying things such as “Science doesn’t help anything.” because if this is the way they think then they shouldn’t be allowed to use any objects that science has created, once again brilliant article and thanks for shedding some actual scientific light on the entire subject. 🙂

One of the funniest comments I have read is why did Nasa stop the shuttle. No mention of the replacement vehicle/s it’s working on, no mention of the fact that Nasa’s current missions extend WAAAAAY beyond 2012….just…..why did they stop the shuttle.

Clue: The shuttle was designed and built in the 60’s. Technology has moved on just a little incey wincey bit since then!

if the stopped the shuttle and they stopped going outerspace no?then if this is the case,what’s the new ‘vehicle’ that they’ll use in the future?when is this future going to be?because i’ve seen yesterday on CNN a reportage about the final shuttle mission…they were filming the shuttle,talking about the history and so on and then asked the question:how the new vehicles will look?but then in the next filming they show what could potentially be the future space vehicle…a somekind of airplane,in prototype stage by…the us military.not by nasa.what the hell had a us military plane had to do with nasa and the reportage about the shuttle?they didn’t show anykind of nasa prototype….
anyway…the fact is that nasa stopped the shuttle mission and the fact is that they don’t have any replacement for the near future….I think it was logical to stop the shuttle if you would have a working alternative…but they don’t…only in protorype stage….so why did they stop the shuttle then?what’s so funny about it?

arent the americans hitching a ride into space with the russians at a price. i dont pretend to know anything at all about these things but im sure i got that from the nasa website. plus this saves america a ton of money as it costs billions(?) to launch one shuttle mission. dont worry, im expecting the haters to reply 🙂

You cant argue with these people. I wouldnt waste my time, Admin. Just look at it like this, lets say for one second they are right, just for arguments sake…..nothing anyone can do about it now, its too late, right? Cool. I’m not going to worry about it then. At all. I’m just going to do what I do every day of my life, whether a comet is coming or not, I’m going to enjoy the days of my life. If they get cut short and there’s nothing I can do, there’s nothing I can do so I’ll be damned if I’m going to worry like a nervous rabbit the way these people want others to be.

But thats just for arguments sake. The reality is that in 18 months time, these fearmongers will need something new. And its’ getting really …..really……really boring.

If you people are right and we get hit. Congratulations, you were right…..now die like the rest of us. Still feel any value in being “right”? I mean, you guys CAN save us cant you? I mean, you HAVE warned us in plenty of time havent you? You cant? You havent? Oh well, being “right” is useless then is’nt it.

like jimmi said,we ‘conspiracy nutters’ only want the truth that is kept from us …if you love your ‘matrix life’ it’s your right….but if you are against these fearmongers,why bother reading and commenting here?why aren’t you out there enjoying your perfect life????

First I have to say that my tent is firmly in the conspiracy camp, so to speak.
BUT….I have been a keen amateur astronomer for about forty years now and so I hope that I will not be subjected to the predictable automatic ‘nutter’ labelling that comes from others of far less knowledge than myself!

I have just found this site because I am looking for information as regards Elenin, you will note that I am actually conducting what is called research , and you can deduce from that, that I actually go looking for information not from so called ‘conspiracy sites’ but from other, possibly better informed, sources.

My first point (question) is, I have until now been under the impression that Elenin’s trajectory is along the same plane as the orbital plane of the planets (except of course Pluto’s) but after reading on here the description of viewing opportunities, it appears that I am mistaken. Please would you clarify this for me.

My next point, and the reason for my commenting here is, I have always made an effort to see both the Perseid and Leonid meteor showers over many years, (It’s usually too bloody cloudy here in the UK isn’t it?) and of course I know that the spectacle happens because of debris that was left behind after comets passed our vicinity (further from us than Elenin will pass us by in fact) and in the case of the Perseids the most ‘active’ debris was left behind around 150 years ago but is still producing spectacular sights every August.
So my logical reasoning is that come the end of October the Earth will travel through the cloud that has just been left by Elenin and we should be in for a spectacular meteor shower lasting a few days at least.
I am more than willing to accept that I am wrong but I would like the ‘error of my ways’ to be corrected by reasoned arguments and verifiable information rather than cheap insults and name calling thank you very much!

My personal view is that nothing drastic is going to happen, the doomsday scenarios are constantly hyped up to discredit those of us that seek the truth and a small amount of personal research is all that is needed to discover the reality that the vast majority of so called ‘conspiracy nutters’ are usually intelligent and well informed people that are looking for the truth, truth that is kept well hidden from the general population through the controlled mainstream media outlets such as newspapers and television.

The theory is that most comets are as old as the Solar System, forming with the Sun and planets, so they are about 4.57 billion years old. Most comets will spent their entire existence far beyond Neptune, but occasional one, like Comet Elenin (C/2010 X1) is perturbed into a orbit that brings it closer to the Sun. Solar radiation essentially evaporates part of its material away, so you are right conceivably a comet could loose all its icy material, but probably leaving rocky material behind. Some stony asteroids are probably ‘dead’ comets.

This is in reply to a comment made on 27th July,2011 6:53 PM as stated by admin.
“The theory is that most comets are as old as the Solar System, forming with the Sun and planets, so they are about 4.57 billion years old. ”

In your article entitled 10 Facts You Need To Know About Comet Elenin, you state what are estimates, theories, hypotheses, as Facts. They are the worth of an Opinion, which is really A Personalised Fact.

Here’s my point. There are numerous articles that do not alleviate the “ignorant” in science that things are “suppressed” by those in the know. And scientists are just as human as any creationist, or occultist. They profess just as strongly to know “The Truth” until it is proven Not True. Just as easily as anyone on this Earth. They are not infallible. And with computations that support a theory presented as Fact, that possess an infinite amount of numbers with no known end or finite conclusion to finalise said theory or proposed fact, But in the end, it’s all theory. It’s speculation. It’s guess work. It’s estimation on expected factors in a chaotic and hostile environment with no known amount of random and conflicting criteria. Science is not Truth. Nor is Religion. Not as long as Facts are presented with speculation and estimation and hypothesis.

I am not a Doomsayer. But I am not a Naysayer either. And when I see a person writing an article with an altruistic aim of informing the public at large about Facts, but states what was written above about the “possible” age of the comet in relation to the other known objects in our Solar System, when an anomaly in that Solar System contains our very own Moon. And to see the debates between SCIENTISTS about this anomaly in our Solar System, and what I mean by Anomaly is that guessing the Moon’s age, which is what Scientists do, with seemingly no accuracy or known finite conclusions, does not support that the objects in our Solar System are all 4.57 billion years old.

This well referenced article about Moon Dust, if one has the time to read such a thing (I recommend scrolling down to the conclusion) illustrates many things. One being that people believing scientists backpedal when theories go awry is founded. They have reason to believe scientists don’t know it all, and are just guessing like the rest of us. They also have reason to believe from perusing this article, that such powers that be, as in NASA, DON’T always come across as straightforward with data compiled. They are not the end all be all of astronomical matters. At the same time, there are concerns as to what they “release” and don’t release. But read the article. I found it interesting simply because the debates about theories and evidence of data, is about as widely contested as to whether hot dogs taste better with ketchup, or with mustard. Or what’s exactly inside a hot dog.

I just believe that you had good intentions with this article. And this I cannot fault. But I also believe that scientists can be as dogmatic as preachers, or zealouts. And are just as eager to shout out what they’ve brought down from the mountain, and whether there’s 9 or 10 commandments, and if they got them right in the first place. And who was “the source” for those commandments. (for the record, I am not religious in any degree. )

To see the debate about the age of the Moon, one simply has to type in that query on Google. Is the Moon younger or older than the Earth? This slightly creationist article about Moon Age was interesting as a read.http://www.ridgenet.net/~do_while/sage/v12i9f.htm

But when an age such as 8.2 billion years gets brought up, one has to question science as equally as it does religion. If Sagan and Asimov, who hopefully a good portion of the public know as “famous” theorists of scientific matters, were puzzled by the moon, well then, why shouldn’t the public doubt or be skeptical about “presented facts and theories”. I think skepticism is healthy. I think questioning is healthy. But I also agreed with another poster here that criticised Admin for saying (and I paraphrase)believing in Mayan, was stupid stupid stupid. That’s not science. Nor is it truth. It’s an opinion, and does not help your main basis of argument, and that altruistic aim for a better informed public. And sometimes I wonder when the argument becomes defensive, aggressive or heated, whether what is being presented is a fact, or just someone’s personalised truth.

As far as Elenin goes, I’ll wait and see like the rest of you. But I do not think this article should be called 10 Facts. 10 Things you should know is far better suited.

Hi there
There is about year I’m reading about this scenario and I don’t know more than that I read it in internet anyway I’ve got a question:
1-If all the claim about elenin been refused by NASA why they are not talking about it officially in main media them reason is because its same as many other comet around but It’s not because no one did claim about any other of them is it not important enough a lot of people around world been panicked by reading this claims from different type of (historians author astronomer ) people.
2- yesterday I heard news from Iranian tv that UN warned all nations we will face much disasters on all over the earth and there is nothing about this warning in European media why?
There is nothing about China more than one month flooding or there is nothing about Japan 15 county been devastated by wind nothing in European main media that’s makes people worry and makes them feel there is something behind this censorship .wish luck for all

China suffers massive flooding every year and has done so for as long as records have been kept (which in Chinese history, is a very long time) it barely even makes local news. The floods come, the army pull people out, the waters recede, people rebuild and get ready to do it all again next summer! Monsoon rains in a very mountainous country? Flooding is going to happen.

Japan gets hit by typhoons every year, much the same as the Caribbean gets hit by hurricanes. Again, barely makes local news, with the only report being “A Typhoon is coming! Board your windows and hunker down” This year, a Typhoon happened to hit Shanghai in China, and a Hurricane ran up the US east coast and hit several large cities. It’s rarer, but not unusual.

The disasters mentioned by the UN are to do with theories that climate change is disrupting weather patterns causing extreme weather scenarios.

why NASA sent out a family personal preparedness plan to all it’s employees this year?why was it that NASA turned off the granddaddy of all NEO (Near Earth Objects) telescopes & SETI ATA this year? is because of elenin?or is it because of
2005 YU55 this 8 nov at only 0.8 LD ???

My guess is that they sent out this emergency preparation plan for the same reason they have fire drills. Anyway, assuming it was because higher management at NASA knows the End is coming and wants to warn their employees but not the wider public, then it was a really odd way to do it.

BTW the ATA SETI facility has no relevence to comet research and was not funded by NASA.

if it was just for the same reason they have fire drills,why know?why not years ago? or all the time? I think it’s a bit strange…
the seti facility has no relevence with the comet,but was shut down..pardon put on standby this year aswell,amongst the shuttle program and the neo teescope etc…again strange thing

NASA would warn the US President and the US military first. It is not the job of NASA to warn “the wider public”. Though I am sure everyone here would agree with me when I say that it is highly likely the US Government would not want to send the world into a panic. To do such a thing would create unpredictable consequences that could be both far reaching and possibly irreversible in many aspects.

After all… What if it turned out to be a false alarm? Then what should a government do if the chance of a false alarm is always present? HALF tell everyone? Tell them only just a little bit? Maybe just a hint or two?

You don’t tell the world a comet is going to hit the Earth unless you are dead-certain of it… and even then you must be prepared to face enormous consequences of doing so.

If the US Government knew a comet was to hit the Earth, I can guarantee you that the public would be the very last to know about it!

A broken clock tells the time correctly twice a day. So the guys using stats could well be finding what theyre looking for but could also be very wrong. I think the end times are very near. Science apart too many religons are forecasting the same. Is it Elenin? Who knows.

If come October nothing happens I will put this down to another hoax and never doubt Mr Musgrave again. If all hell breaks out then i’ll be too worried about the 500ft high tidal wave heading my way and thinking about what i’ll do to Mr Musgrave on the other side.

None the less, all very interesting and in a dark corner of mind hopes that Elenin is right just to have a weary smile at the “boffins” arrogance.

We hear that Elenin is very small and has no real gravitational impact. Now, my question is, how does a small object 11000 years out in space find its way back to our sun and why does it have an orbit at all. Many small comet end up fried on the sun which to me seems logically. Question is: what natural law control a small comet.

Comets move around the Sun in orbits just like the planets. They follow Kepler’s Laws (first published in 1609) which are a consequence of Newton’s laws of gravitation. Basically the comet is moving through space, the Sun’s gravity exerts a force on it which bends its path into a closed curve around the Sun. If you want to know more, you could start at this NASA site.

If you were to ask me what I honestly think is going to happen, I would tell you “Nothing”. What Admin has presented all makes sense to me, and is logical. However a few other things I had read about in my life also seem logical. For instance the widely embraced idea that many, not all, ancient civilizations all tell similar stories about a deluge/flood engulfing the planet, and that ancient astronomers were very advanced. Also isn’t the whole idea of disinformation and cover ups that the sources we citizens would go to for information such as news networks, organizations, and “Science Experts”, is that those people would tell you whatever they wanted. I mean you look at how everything is monopolized now especially the news, and how people in those networks would even tell you there is no real reporting going on anymore its whatever the person or persons who own the network allow or say to report on. I believe the same goes for organizations such as Nasa. Its like that old quote, and I am paraphrasing here “history is told by those who won the war”. Furthermore if it was true that NASA or any other person or persons in power knew the world was coming to an end, how and why, it is logical to think they wouldn’t tell the masses for fear of panic and the repercussions.
All I am saying Admin is that you come of as very set in your ways. The way you say believing that the Mayans knew about celestial body’s or anything else is just “stupid stupid stupid”, in my opinion is incredibly arrogant. The fact is we can only speculate but to sit there and say there is no way that doomsayers could be right, or ancients could have been more privy to space and its secrets is incredibly close minded. I admire you trying to calm down doomsayers, and I admire your ability to share and embrace facts, but having an open mind wouldn’t kill you.
Before you respond allow me to remind you that like you, I don’t think anything of import will happen when the comet comes, but I am not afraid to say I entertain the possibility that something “could” happen.

Ok, so if this isnt the comet that destroys us, then what is the object been spotted surrounding the sun coming closer to us, the one when alligned caused two major earthquakes, and will cause us a bit of bother in a few months time, 21st October to be a bit more precise.
Remember, the moon doesnt have any atmosphere, but has a major factor how the tides flow, and also keeps the earth central, if the moon does this, then im sure something closer, and big will have a bearing on earths “swing”
Think about it, and join me on ellerge.com

“what is the object been spotted surrounding the sun coming closer to us”?

I’m sorry I have no idea what you are refering to. Can you explain or provide a reference?

I don’t understand your point about the Moon. The Moon’s gravity causes tides on Earth but Comet Elenin is about 20 billion times smaller and will be 90 times as far away. Comets cannot cause measureable tides on Earth.

I honestly say that this subject has become grossly overwhelmed with controversy. None the less sometimes things ARE stranger than fiction. Lest we forget in fact that Einstein himself said “Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts!”

If you could all just stop bickering amongst yourselves, step outside the box and look at ALL the content- then in your heart you will know whats what and when. Open your mind rather than keeping it guarded and open only to approved memory instalments only. Knowledge isn’t power but knowing is; if you want to label everything and assign numbers etc. then you’ll have your knowledge but open your heart and your mind and you shall have knowing…

I was giving the reader an impression of what the comet may at very best look like through a telescope and an idea of what its nucleus looks like using clearly identified stock images as illustrations as no comparable images exist of the real thing.

Recent images of the comet can be seen at Astro Bob’s siteand at Leonid Elenin’s blog. Do also read the accompanying text to appreciate the difficulties in taking pictures of this comet at the moment.

Interest thread of comments, opinions and facts.
Thanks for the link to photos, this is something that should put clear up the utterly insane ideas that some are coming up with.
No fleet of spaceships! (I had a good laugh with that one). Definitely not a planet of obscure lore. If the comet was spinning as fast as some theories speculate, I would think the pictures would be a tad bit fuzzy, no.
Now, on the other hand, material making up this orb could be super dense remains from an star explosion. I watch the USGS site weekly and must say this weeks activity was considerably higher than normal. Coincidence, maybe, but such occurrences usually are attributed to changes in the norm operating environment. Who is to say we might not be in for the big one on or around October 16th.
The variables in trying to determine this are too numerous as they are in the failed global warming theory.
Doomsday, is highly unlikely, but the chances of something are enticing – Our society craves for entertainment of sorts, usually best when at the suffering of others… A pity.

How would the Mayans know about the return of this comet if their civilization lasted 3000 years while the comet has an 11,000 year cycle?

I am concerned about the much unanswered questions and like the above poster Rob has said, there is a lot of room for people to maneuver when in actuality it should be very simple to dismiss. The debunking campaign doesn’t do itself justice because it looks like people are going on the defensive instead of just releasing pictures of the comet and learning all we can, instead the ‘debunkers’ attack people who have different theories and label them as fast as possible as ‘kooks’ or ‘conspiracy theorists’.

It’s interesting to see the lack of photographs the closer the date to the passing

I’m not aware of a “debunking campaign”, I’m attempting to answer questions as honestly as I can. What are the motives of people who claim based on no scientific evidence at all that a perfectly normal (and pretty unspectacular) astronomical phenomenon is going to cause a global disaster?

The public discourse on many subjects today have less to do with evaluating the facts and more to do with validating our belief systems. Why everyone wants to “believe” the world is going to end is astounding.

Given the truth, people will ignore the obvious if it does not conform to their “belief” system.

Thank you for clarifying the truth of comets. For others, I would also read interviews with Leonid Elenin who also validates much of what Colin is saying here.

It just amazes me that no matter how many times doomsday has been predicted from what ever source, and it hasn’t come yet, there are always people who will believe that this is the one.

This is surely the end of days. Can’t you see the signs? Are you blind? Your science is blinding you to the truth. You can’t trust those scientists. They have a secret agenda and are involved in a conspiracy to keep you in the dark.

You can find the truth if you care to see in a new book. It’s entitled “Doomsday! This Time For Sure!” and can be found at the local book store for only $19.95. Read it now before it’s too late!

I didn’t say Mr. Elenin should change his name just that it’s awfully coincidental. Isn’t the comet approaching from the constellation Leo arriving around nine/eleven. That alone is a buffet for conspiracy theorists.

The author of this article gives reference to a website which has been posting pictures of the comet by amateur astronomers. I noticed that there are no recent pictures, and thought maybe the website just hadn’t been updated with more recent pics. So I checked to see what the longest interval was between the posting of pics and it was maybe 2 -3 weeks. Why no pics from May or June? It is now July, I am by no means a conspiracy theorist but why give them room to manuever? Ever since this comet was discovered, those who would preach doom and gloom have been given ample room and time to come up with all kinds of doomsday scenarios. The author of this article also says the comet has an 11600 year orbit around the sun making it a long period comet, which he also states is of great importance to understanding how the early solar system formed. If it is so significant why is there so little information available? Again giving too much room to manuever. Why did Nasa shutdown their buzzroom during a period of great interest in the comet? Again, more room to manuever. The guy who discovered it has a name that starts with “ELE” is it really surprising that this also helped fuel conspiracy theories? He discovered it on december 10 2010, and the comets closest point to the sun will be on Sept 10 2011 almost ten years after 9/11, I mean come on when you look at these correlations you have to expect someones gonna start preaching that the worlds coming to an end. Especially with the end of the Mayan calendar looming large on the horizon.
The author of this article also uses pictures of previous comets to support this story, pictures provided courtesy of Nasa, but where is the picture of the comet in question. Instead he points you to a website with pictures taken by amateur astronomers. Where are the pictures of Elenin courtesy of NASA? Again, more room to manuever. The only conclusion I can come to is if any of these doom and gloom theories surprise you than please go get your head checked!!!

On a final note, if your wondering whether or not I support any of these completely predictable theories, the answer is no. But I do also realize that it is better to have a condom and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I would also like to mention that I don’t believe it matters what happens I think the point is to be prepared for the unexpected when it happens, the rest of you can argue over the details all you want. LOL.

Hi Rob, thanks for your comments. This comet is very tiny and millions of kilometres away so it is a small and dim object.At the moment it is almost overhead at dusk for northern hemisphere observers, and it sets in the west just before midnight so I am not surprised at the lack of images.

As I keep saying, this is not an especially bright or interesting comet so the lack of information is not surprising.

I have been to a lot of these types of web pages and seen the state of the general publics grasp of science. Admin, I wish you the best of luck convincing some of these guys. But like the old saying goes, “My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts!”

Michel R. Legrand and Robert J. Delmas of Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique de l’Environment published an article “Soluble Impurities in Four Antarctic Ice Cores Over the Last 30,000 Years” in Annals of Glaciology (10, 1988, pp 116-120). They graphed the Oxygen 18 variations and the ionic components Na = NH (sub4) and Ca (sup 2) and H and Cl and NO (sub 3) and SO (sub 4). The time scale for each ionic component level as well as the O (sup 18) levels stretches back 30,000 years. The graph shows correlations to spikes at 3600 BC, 5,200 BC, 8,800 BC, 12,400 BC, c. 16,000 BC, c. 19,600 BC. All of these were times of great geologic stress

I’m kinda confused, according to my math and the dates you have posted, we shouldn’t have anything to worry about for ohh, 1600 more years unless of course the first date you posted was supposed to be 1600BC in which case 3600 years from then would be around now. A word to the wise, when re-iterating someone elses work at least make sure its correct. Am I really the only one who caught this? Peace..!

Ok, So your data is true and correct, answer why every ancient civilization spoke of a large body that enters our solar system and creates havok on the earth, Not just one civalization but everyone from around the world that has no connects with each other because of distance. How come they talk and speak of this issue in every ancient text that are known as history books, from the bibles wormwood to the clay tabets of enki that have been translated by many diffrent universities now. the kobrin bible,the celtic texts,’Gospel of the Kailedy’,the book of Gwineva and so many others all talk about this rouge planet that comes in our solar system??? And they even give dates and when the last passing was , 1600 bc and many ancient civilzations ended then. So we have a end date then we also have the timeframe of every 3600 years , Now we can use science and look into our ancient past and see a connection. I can look at polar core samples that dont lie, they show how the earth was back then and they prefectly align with the 3600 year cycle thats clearly a pattern. I dunno Ive been researching this subject for Many many years and Its gonna take alot more then any 10 facts that will change my mind since all our ancient forefathers had nothing to prove or lie about.

heres the data for the polar core samples and also a link so you can research this yourself and ask why every 3600 years we recieve almost a total destruction on earth. PS. Science also backs this up in data of volcanic eruptions average of the last 3600 years is 3-4 a year we are getting that in a weekend. 60 plus active and erupting volcanoes all perfectly aligning with every ancient culture and text then the polar core samples and then raw data of earths natural disasters….Until someone explains them I will believe what our ancient forefathers warned us about… PEACE.

Enjoyed the article. I only learnt of this comet today when I saw the video on youtube of the “UFO’s” in London.

Now I don’t know too much about the science of all this stuff but I am very interested in it. So please excuse me if I talk nonsense.

I was reading the article that Jay Walker posted. Now I totally understand that a comet that far away wouldn’t/shouldn’t have any influence on the earth. But has this plasma cosmology that is almost forced down your throat got any sort of merit? I found it quite interesting even if not accurate.

I have seen a few pictures and most probably conspiracy enthusiasts stating that the orbit of Elenin doesn’t make any sense and it isn’t round like other comets have been. Now is this even true?

Also I notice that IsEleninLucifer’s theory of the earth passing through the tail of Elenin was almost dismissed. Now again not knowing too much of this stuff is it not possible that that would happen if the tail were long enough? Also what would the likely effects be?

I’m not scared or ‘doomsdaying’. Just very intrigued how what appears to be a very small comet is causing such uproar and had a few questions I was hoping someone would be able to help me with.

I’m a late comer to astronomy so i’m just hoping my questions don’t annoy to many people haha.

Plasma cosmology (and the closely related Electric Universe theory) are pushed by some very vocal individuals on the ‘web but are not taken at all seriously by astronomers. In fact it is pretty hard to find anything written by real astronomers about it, but you could start here , here or here.

Comet Elenin’s orbit is completely typical for a long period comet (so it’s nowhere near circular), if it wasn’t it would be the most studied and reported on objects in astronomical history (instead of being of interest to specialists)! You can find the orbital elements and emphermis at the Minor Planets Center.

The Earth has passed through the tails of comets before and nothing bad has happened. Read about the passage through Halley’s Comet’s tail in 1910 at Ian Ridpath’s site.

Once again, all I can say is that it’s an utter mystery why so feeble a comet has generated so much interest when much more exciting and visible comets (say McNaught or Holmes) were ignored!

Sure, the classical model of the universe is so much more believable! NOT!

Any theory that requires dark matter, a fictitious substance that can neither be seen nor felt nor reacted with in any way, is oh so credible.

And, of course, there is a very good reason that plasma cosmology is “not taken at all seriously by astronomers.” It’s because these astronomers are professionals and they don’t want to be discredited (at least the ones who actually have a brain and don’t believe in the dark matter bunk) and lose their livelihood (ie, $$$$).

The rejection of plasma cosmology is not due to the lack of merit of the theory, but the stronghold that the status quo has on the field of cosmology.

Hi, thanks for your comments. I’d just like to say that science is full of “substances that can neither be seen nor felt” like electrons or neutrinos but are completely real. Also, you seem to imply that astronomers accept the reality of “plasma cosmology” but pretend otherwise in case their funding is cut. Have you ever actually met an astronomer? I would say based on my experience that 99% of professional astronomers are not in it for the money, but for the joy of discovery (and that is ignoring all those fantastically gifted and knowledgeable amateurs out there).

I don’t doubt that we have so much more to learn about how the Universe works but we won’t find out anything by throwing out baseless accusations.

By their own admission, dark matter is a hypothesis and has not yet been discovered. Dark matter is hypothesized to exist because it would be necessary to explain the gravitational model of the universe. These hypotheses are derived from mathematical computations, not any direct scientific experimentation.

I read through a couple of your links on the topic of plasma cosmology. Though I did not read the entirety of the pages, I did find one grossly generalized statement, “…that mainstream astronomy is able to explain entirely through gravity.” (How I know “plasma cosmology” is wrong. paragraph 2) Being able to explain something is far different than having empirical data to base your conclusions on.

How exactly does mainstream science explain the gravitational model of cosmology without factoring dark matter into the equation? The answer is: It doesn’t!

Thanks for the links which I’ll watch when I get a chance. How about we talk about non-standard cosmology another time, as I do not want this thread to be continuously dragged off topic. I have said that I will cover Electric Universe / Plasma Cosmolgy in another post in the next few months.

Hi, I have now actually watched your linked YouTube videos. The first one, well the ripped off TV programme is okay but the guy at the end is talking bunk!

The second one is a bit better, although the section on economics is totally irrelevant to any scientific debate (it does not surprise me one iota that clever people working in an environment where they have a lot of influence on the rules can create financial processes that take money from some people to enrich others, the morality of it all may be suspect but the maths works just as planned).

Thanks for providing a different, most refreshing view on comet Elenin!
I have to say unreservedly that I have been worried sick about the hype surrounding possible outcomes concerning this latest object to pass by earth.

I have a couple of questions which I would appreciate you answering for me to dispel my fears even after reading your comments and opinions:

Why has NASA bothered to show C/2010X1 on its orbital visualisation tool if it has no particular significance?

Have you heard the rumour that NASA has issued safety warnings to their personnel? If you have, what is this regarding? Solar flares?

Could you confirm or otherwise what I believe proves the object is a small comet:

If the “object” has significant mass (brown dwarf star) like so many have stated, then why hasn’t it interfered with Jupiter’s orbit or Mars for that matter, as it has already entered the orbits of the inner planets?

I look forward to your comments.

P.S. If I wake up, open the curtains and see a second sun in the sky should I head for the hills with enough food water and equipment for a couple of years?

C/2010X1 is on the NASA/JPL solar system orbit visualizer because it exactly the sort of object that ought to be on it! If you haven’t tried this http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi , you should have go. You have to specify what you are interested in, Elenin does not just appear!

NASA has recently issued a safety bulletin to its employees, it’s full of well meaning useful advice. I guess its distribution reflects the different employment culture in the US and is also a possible consequence of living in a country where extreme weather and other problems occur more frequently than in the UK.

You’re quite right that it cannot be a brown dwarf or similar object. They are so massive that the orbits of other Solar system bodies would be already very clearly effected. Plus a Jupiter-sized object at this distance would be among the brightest things in the night sky!

If you see a second sun the sky (which you won’t) it would be too late!

great article! Why worry about the end of the world… if it ever does happen, we’ll be squished so fast we won’t have time to blink!!!

All I could think of with the idea of a comet coming to earth was ‘ooooh! what brilliant photographs I’ll be able to take!’ and ‘wow… a comet, haven’t seen one since Halley’s’. That was before you blew my ideas out of the water with how far away it’ll be at its closest… must save up faster for that telescope!

So now I’ll just have to be patient and wait… then be satisfied with any photos the Hubble and astronomers might take.

We’re all doomed! The plasma cosmology is obviously accurate, and we’re being kept in the dark by alien powers that have infiltrated every level of all governments in their ongoing plan to destroy Earth and steal our coveted recipe for cheese biscuits!

Yeah, I’m just being silly. Came here looking for information after laughing heartily at a friend’s latest doomsday hype. This is one of very few pages that have actually been informative and interesting, while there are countless ridiculous, poorly-conceived, and fantastical articles all over the internet collectively diminishing my already fragile faith in the existence of intelligent life here on Earth.

As for all the crap about a relationship between a distance, icy pebble and large magnitude quakes here on Earth – POPPYCOCK!! From what I can see, it would appear that celestial interactions do not result from increased tectonic activity in general (as there seems to be no accounting for all the large-magnitude quakes that have occurred, largely unreported, far enough away from significant populations to be ignored), but simply a shift toward more devastating localities resulting in measurable destruction and loss of life. If I had known that plasma cosmology advocates some sort of malevolent sentience in the behaviour of quakes under the influence of astronomical bodies, I would have been even quicker to dismiss it all as tosh.

One need only review the extraordinary spectacle provided by Comet Holmes 17P to see how deep the crisis in cometology reaches. In October of 2007, Holmes suddenly and unexpectedly brightened by a factor of a million. In less then 24 hours, it grew from a small 17th magnitude comet to a magnitude of 2.5, so large it was easily visible to the naked eye on Earth. Holmes’ coma continued expanding until by mid-November of ’07 it had become the largest object in the solar system, vastly larger than the Sun. The coma’s diameter had grown from 28 thousand kilometers to 7 million km.

Steve wrote, “Holmes’ coma continued expanding until by mid-November of ’07 it had become the largest object in the solar system”.

What was the density of this ‘object’? Perhaps you are right but I somehow feel that if one included the solar wind up to the point where its density became less than the coma of Holmes, the Sun would still be larger.

Hi thank you for this article. I only found out about Comet Elenin a couple of days ago, I have since read and seen other articles on the comet that have been predicting doom. I hate to admit it but I was getting a little concerned. Thank you for being the voice of reason. I don’t ever believe in end of the world theories but the whole alignment/earthquake scenario was beginning to worry me. Please can you reassure me that these were coincidences.

Hi Sam, yes, pure coincidence. Earthquakes happen all the time. See for example this site for an a realtime list od earhquakes. We hear about earthquakes through the media when they are especially violent and destructive or happen in wealthy and developed regions. By chance we have had recent disasterous quakes in New Zealand and Japan which received a lot of TV coverage (had they happened in poorer regions we would have heard much less about them, sadly that is how the world works). There is no measurable increase in the size and magnitude of earthquakes.

I can’t put it plainer than to say Comet elenin is not causing earthquakes and will not cause earthquakes!

I agree very nice article, it seems today that everything is turned into an End of the World scanario, by a few very sad people if the world was ending you would think they would leave there computers!! Just grow up, the worlds not going to end because of a comet’s tail, everyone has missed the point that this is somthing not many people will get to see in their life time so just enjoy it!

THE END OF THE WORLD THEORIES ARE BORING ALL YOU HEAR IS THE SAME CHILD THEORIES NOBODY ATCHUALLY LISTHENS TO YOU ANYMORE YOU’VE BEEN WRONG TO MANY TIMES SO UNLUCKY WITH THAT ONE! You should be more worried about 2036 as Nasa have said a comet could hit! not kept it hidden from us so what about that one?

The asteroid which will miss the Earth in 2036 is called Apophis, watch this space as we have planned an article about it in a few weeks time. It also shows up in our show Violent Universe if you’re in the area!

I’m more alarmed at the immense number of people who are convinced the World’s about to end than I am about most of the possible events associated with the various popular, hypothetical scenario’s behind this trend leading to large segments of the populace who expect the world to end on 12/21/2012 or at least in their lifetimes?!! If enough people set their schedules & expect “doomsday” on a specific date or given time-frame~I’m concerned that some religious zealots,terrorist group,etc.,or wacked-out,lone nutcase holding the “keys” to Nuclear or Biological facilities or ICBM launch controls,etc.-might exploit these “prophecies” and initiate some unknown sequence of events that might lead to an ELE!! I can’t figure out how people remain in denial regarding the current,ongoing releases & exposure to radiation from Japan & numerous other antiquated NPR’s globally-while they set their clocks for doomsday from “unknown” calamity on 12/21/2012?!! At least with regard to the nuclear threat issue I feel justified in my logic & concern-the Apophis asteroid in 2036 is still far enough away that there are several possible responses available to use current technology & scientific advances in the meantime to alter its trajectory if an impact on Earth is found to be imminent. Maybe the object does deserve more scrutiny and trajectory studies are needed-but if I remember correctly-the response plan options involving the use of nuclear weapons,etc. was based on a timeline that required about a dozen years to prepare the mission for it to have a chance of success. With that in mind,I still feel there’s much more pressing items on humanity’s agenda that need attention now & distractions involving space rocks that “might” hit Earth a quarter-century from now is a ridiculous waste of time in my opinion. Now excuse me while I make preparations for my last great meal on the evening of 12/20/2012…LOL!! Good Luck to All !!

I thought the jury was still out on whether Apophis could hit the Earth in 2036, depending upon whether it passes through a certain “keyhole” in space when it passes in 2029. Has there been an update on this that has definitely ruled it out? Great page, by the way, and I admire your patience in dealing with and ditching so many ridiculous claims.

There seem to be so many people peddling so many ideas that are just made up with no basis in physics at all. No wonder the young get so confused about science 🙁

If we do get a half decent tail it would give a good spectacle at that time of year, however in my experience most comets are just a damp squib 🙁

Hale-Bopp was an absolute joy to see as it was even visible in the heart of London, it was just a pity it was on the other side of the solar system at the time it would have been even more astounding if it had been on the same side as the Earth 😮

Greetings All, I’m also glad there’s places like this to go online & find logical responses & explanations,especially since by answering most of the goofy stuff brought up here even when their screen names strongly hint as to what’s coming next in their posts(lol).Whenever “off the wall” issues are ignored or replied to with inflammatory remarks including pieces that dispel the myths being propagated without citing the scientific data & sources-it only serves to reinforce their paranoia & convinces them that the skepticism their theories are met with is due to whichever conspiracy theory & mysterious “dark forces” such as the Illuminati,etc.is to blame and skeptics are “enemy agents” sent to discredit them!!LOL! That said,there’s plenty of “real” issues of concern on the Earth with crisis”s created by mankind & naturally-occurring events that could threaten our world. Wasting time & energy being Chicken Little isn’t going to help others stay focused on some of the issues we can do something about. NEO’s are nothing new and have been a threat since the Earth began-I don’t see how “warnings” of the “Harbingers of Doom” could possibly achieve ANY good at all if something big was going to hit Earth or pass by with disastrous effect? Enjoy today & make the best of the time you have NOW… Don’t Worry,Be Happy!!

THANK YOU! Finally I’ve found an article that doesnt denote some stupid conspiracy theory as the main point of the story. When people are hanging themseleves and cowering behind their sofas, I will be getting on with my life. Its a waste of time to live in fear of what could be!

I believe that I was asked if an asteroid was discovered that was going to cause a global disaster, did I think would “the government” hide this from the public. I responded that I didn’t believe this was possible based on the way the global astronomical community works, I added that I couldn’t see how covering up the end of the world actually benefited “the government” since everyone was going to die anyway.

I didn’t say that I believe every single statement from governments. Please don’t put words into my mouth.

The earth did not pass through Halley’s comet. View the orbit diagram for Halley at the JPL site. It’s tail was blowing outward from the sun and the earth was no where near that tail in 1910.

Elenin is a totally different beast. As it passes between the sun and earth moving in the same direction as the earth parts of the tail will blow directly on the earth from the sun. Halley’s did not do that. Elenin’s tail will be at least 1.5 AU. The comet is not perfectly aligned with the sun but it is very close. Will the tail sweep and directly hit the earth at times? Very likely. What impact will that have? That is the analysis that is missing in every discussion on Elenin.

The earth is just a thinly crusted blob of liquid. If Elenin’s tail touches the earth there will be a much larger variation in solar winds than normal. The winds will go from very fast to very slow to very fast. As an analogy, constant wind is needed to keep a kite afloat. When the wind dies the kite flutters and falls until the wind comes back. What kind if impact will there be on the earth if the winds suddenly drop and start up again? There is good probability the earth’s entire mantle will vibrate to some degree.

The additional light is the fact that Elenin will pass almost directly in front of the sun. At this time the dust tail will cover a good portion of the sky as it will extend far beyond earth’s orbit. The additional light from the tail will be reflected back on the earth. I don’t have a source for this. I am hypothesizing based on the lengths of previous comets (again averaging 1.5AU) and how close this tail will be to the earth and imagining its appearance in the day/night sky as an enormous streak of light.

Information about Comet Elenin is definitely being suppressed. Mr. Elenin himself is blocking questions on his site, and deleting comments and posts. Why?

Not telling the full truth about Elenin to calm people down is the wrong way to go here. If there is a real concern, then people should know. They can prepare how they deem appropriate given accurate information. If there’s a panic, so be it. The important thing is to open up the discussions and debate on all the possible outcomes of this comet’s current trajectory between the earth and sun.

The magnitude of the pressure exerted on the Earth by the Solar Wind is miniscule compared to the pressure of wind on a kite, so I suspect your analogy falls down. By the way, what is your source for Comet Elenin’s tail being 1.5 AU long?

Thank you for clarifying that the idea Comet Elenin will create a spectacular light show is your own personal speculation.

What is your evidence that there is a conspiracy to hide information on this comet? Mr Elenin is not obliged to answer every question sent to him, so I doubt if this proves the existence of a cover up.

My point to this article is that there is no reason to be concerned about Comet Elenin. It is just another comet like tens of millions of comets before it. Earth’s still here.

All i can attest after reading all points of view, and science this and science that, etc etc etc, i still have to doubt either side, unfortunately we are still innocent lambs and believe our governments and their desire of “KEEPING US INFORMED”.

regardless of what science say. it has been admitted by most knowledgble scientists, and more over speciallist in the topic of Space; that it is extremely little why they know about it. therefore if in dawns of 21 century of the gregorian calendar, we still believe that the earth passed thru halley’s tail and we utilize as a source a book written thruout the age of the Steam??? i suggest we continue to look for information and find realistic sources, not NASA, and Government operated agencies.. they will inform on a “need to know basis” and i dare you to vote to the following question.

In the hypotetical event that there is such pending doom for our world; do you belive the information will be disseminated on a timely manner to us the lambs
Yes?
No?

“if in dawns of 21 century of the gregorian calendar, we still believe that the earth passed thru halley’s tail”

Well, it did. Are you suggesting the historical records are fake?

“we utilize as a source a book written thruout the age of the Steam”

Which book is this?

Do I believe that public would be told if a “doomsday” asteroid or comet was found to be on its way to collide with Earth? Yes.

You seem to think that NASA and US government agencies have a monopoly on astronomical information. Look over this list of astronomical observatories, then imagine how difficult it would be to keep them all quiet. Then think how many amateurs there are with access to fantastic equpment (like Leonid Elenin), how would they be silenced?

Why would it be kept secret anyway, if we’re all going to die what is the point?

I do agree that there is much more to be discovered in space, these are great days for astronomers!

And yet again, another article that refuses to discuss the impact of the Earth passing through the comet’s tail. This is not a simple fly by of a comet tail that has already dissipated by 99%. This is a full-on multi-day event where the earth will be engulfed by the tail.

NASA has already performed some studies on tails. On average their lengths are 1.5 AU. More than enough to completely engulf the earth. One alarming feature that NASA has been able to measure from previous spacecraft passing through tails, is that the solar winds can be reduced by nearly 1/2. When the comet tail sweeps the earth in October and the solar winds are suddenly reduced by 1/2, it is impossible for any rational thinking person to say “so what?”. There will be an impact. The question is what exactly will that impact be. My own theory is that it will cause the mantle of the earth to vibrate like never before, like a hammer hitting a rubber ball. Also, cosmic dust is a primary source of rain clouds. When the comet’s dust tail (coupled with the lack of solar winds to blow the dust away) hits the earth, there will be huge clouds forming all over the planet. It will precipitate globally for multiple days, until the earth passes out of the dust tail. The old stories and myths about the great flood that permeate in every culture on the planet are consistent for a reason. There is no other cosmic event that can occur globally to cause this consistent story about flooding other than a comet tail sweep.

Also, the comet’s coma and tail will be extremely bright. As it approaches the sun, it will get brighter and brighter as the sun is reflected through the coma and tail. More sunlight than normal will hit the earth. This is similar to a white screen used in photography or movies. At night-time there is a good chance it lights up the entire night sky (like daylight) as we approach mid-late September and the tail is like a streak of white light in the middle of night. It will be a spectacle like never seen before.

There is a lot of disinformation about Elenin, that we can agree on. But there is also a lot of “downplaying” the significance of what Elenin could mean to the earth. The important questions are not being asked, and when they are they are blocked or deleted. Why is that?

I am sorry that you are disappointed by this article, but I am sticking to science.

It has been known for centuries that comets have tails larger than Earth. In fact in 1910 Earth passed through the tail of Halley’s Comet (which was larger and more spectacular than Comet Elenin will be). No one was killed by the tail of that comet and no one will be killed by the tail of Elenin should the Earth pass through it (what is your source for saying it will?)

The Solar Wind flucuates all the time and its effects on the Earth’s magnetic field are measurable but there is no effect on the Earth’s mantle. The theory that cosmic dust fall can promote rainfall does have some supporting evidence but the idea that there really was once a global flood that is universally recorded in mythology is not correct.

Comet Elenin will be small and dim and there is no known effect which would cause its tail to enhance the Sun’s light (what is your source that says it will?). The two great comets of the 1990s, Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake, had much larger tails than Elenin is expected to have (and Hyakutake came closer to Earth than Elenin will) yet nothing like this happened.

I completely disagree that Comet Elenin will have some unique significance to Earth. It is just another little chunk of ice and rock that has been floating through space for billions of years. I disagree that information about it is being censored, I have no idea who could do such a thing or how they could achieve it. I am concerned that people seem to be frightened by its approach, this article was to help settle their concerns with facts.

Finally, if you genuinely believe that Comet Elenin will cause a global disaster this autumn, what preparations are you making?

you’re sticking to science?wow you’re science and scientists discovered the comet on JANUARY 31, 1996,which passed VERY CLOSE to Earth in MARCH OF THAT SAME YEAR !!! another thing from your science and scientists…in February 2003 C/2002 V1 (NEAT) The comet was hit by a coronal mass ejection during its pass near the sun[6]; some rumoured it had “disturbed” the sun, but scientists dismissed this notion.[5] After the comet left LASCO’s field of view around February 23, an object was seen at the bottom of the images. Although technicians dismissed this as a glitch, rumours persisted that the comet had been expelled from the sun(from wikipedia) …but why didn;t the media talk about this? it was a huge ‘comet’ …so please mister spare me with your sticking in science …your science doesn;t know a thing…they think they know…but actually they don;t know a thing…

“scientists discovered the comet on JANUARY 31, 1996,which passed VERY CLOSE to Earth in MARCH OF THAT SAME YEAR !!!”

Do you mean Comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2)? I don’t understand your point about it; please explain.

I don’t understand your comments on Comet NEAT either, no astronomer I know believes that comets can be ejected from the Sun. Please explain what you mean.

By the way, NEAT was also prophesised by liars on the internet as going to cause a global disaster, it was supposed to be as big as Jupiter and surrounded by debris. All nonsense, just like the conspiracy theories about Comet Elenin.

“your science doesn;t know a thing”

A very strange statement as without science you would not know anything about this (or any other) comet!

yes,I was talking about comet Hyakutake…my bad..I forgot to mention it…
about comet NEAT…the text was from wikipedia,that’s what it says on wikipedia and that,if I remembet correctly,was what also nassim haramein said …that the comet “had been expelled” (meaning ‘something’ else did that,not the sun itself) and those ‘liars on the internet” would have been proven wright if the comet trajectory wouldn’t been changed…
and last …I was just pointing that science is constantly changing theorys,facts and so on…the fact is that what we think science is wright today…it would be so wrong ‘tomorow’ …that’s why what we think we know today and be so sure about it…in the future it would have changed 180° … just like science till a decade ago was so sure the planetery system had just 9 planets ,today there a lot more and still counting (just a thew moments ago I read somewhere the hubble telescope just found anothr moon orbiting pluto) ..(this was just a simple ex) ..
so in conclusion i wouldn’t bet my trust on todays science…

Our solar system has, by definition, 8 planets. It also contains many asteroids, dwarf planets and comets. The discovery that you mention is actually planets orbiting other stars i.e. planets in different solar systems. Since 1992 astronomers have found 677 of these planets.

Although “scientists” only knew for sure about 9 planets in our solar system before 1992, that does not mean that planets orbiting other stars were considered impossible. Right now, we know of 677 planets around other stars but that doesn’t mean we think there are only 677 planets around other stars. When more are discovered it doesn’t mean we have “changed 180 degrees”.

Are you kidding me? The only major effect of the earth passing through the tail of a comet is the possibility of a rather nice meteor shower.

Also I think you have a severe misunderstanding of secondary school physics. The tail of comet, being largely composed of dust and vapour will diffuse light passing through it, not reflect it (I think a dictionary is required, you seem to have misunderstood the meaning of reflect). Reducing it’s intensity, not that it would make much of a difference to any light hitting earth, the particles will be spread so far apart. It only looks like it does from a distance because of your relative position to it. And as the comet passes and the tail begins to reflect light, well, sod all will happen. The moon reflects more light than a comets tail, yet bugger all happens. Well maybe dogs go a bit mad and romantics go all dewey eyed at the sight of a full moon.

Thanks for drawing my attention to that document, but surely you’re joking!

I started to read it in detail but within a couple of paragraphs it was clear that I was wasting my time. The author makes up his own jargon (“georesonator”, “hyperresonator”) and cherry-picks the statistics he needs to make his theory work and ignores anything which doesn’t fit his theory. There are about 8000 known Near Earth Objects out there, about 500 of these are the same size or larger as Elenin’s nucleus. Some regularly come closer to Earth than this comet. Why single out one little comet as a cause of earthquakes and ignore all these other objects?

The “European Royal Society” the author claims to be affiliated with does not exist and the document looks like a proper scientific paper but it isn’t (it hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published in any journal I know of). I took a look at the author’s own website and it is rather sad, full of grandiose historical and scientific claims (he says he has disproven special relativity and quantum mechanics) and allegations of harassment by freemasons, the “Illuminati”, “anglo-zionists” and NASA.

Basically, this claim is worthless. Just because someone publishes something on the internet does not make it true!

My initial comment was not directed to the right person – it was meant to be posted in agreement with Nick Devon. The truth of the matter is that we’ll all have to wait out the next 4 months (or sooner) to see what really IS going to happen – isn’t it interesting, though, that comet Elenin’s last alignment will be December 21, 2012? Ironically, if any of us “doomsayers” are perfectly correct about our negative forecasts for the future, we will still NOT gain any satisfaction telling the naysayers “I told you so!” – This is one of those moments where I would take great satisfaction in actually being 100% wrong!

Hmm, I think I hear the sound of shifting goalposts. If the Deadly Comet of Doom fails to do us all in by the autumn we just have to wait another 12 months…

You do know that this whole Doomsday in 2012 nonsense is tosh?

This whole business of Comet Elenin’s gravity causing earthquakes when it is aligned with the Earth and other planets is just daft. I imagine that every minute of the day Earth will be “aligned” with at least one other planet and one of the thousands of near Earth object, many of which are bigger than the comet, you just have to pick a suitable set of objects.

On 21 December 2012, Comet Elenin will be considerably further from the Earth and Sun than it is today, so if it is defying the laws of physics and triggering disasters through its gravitational influence, its effects would be seriously reduced by then!

We’re all greatly satisfied that there will be no disaster caused by Comet Elenin!

In the press it is denied that Comet Elenin is on a deadly course for Earth. Possibly not, but astronomers haven’t got a good track record in correctly identifying rogue missiles heading our way. Nor do they get the time factor right.
It would not surprise me if a ‘fleet of Ufos’ were following along behind, because there are an awful lot of spooky apparitions in our skies these days. In my book, due out now, called Fireballs, Skyquakes and Hums, I cover just about everything weired and wonderful in our skies, including mysterious sky flashes and Ufos.
Here’s a taster: Nasa reported an unknown thing approaching Earth, known as Object 2010 KQ, and tracked by the JPL. Itcame as close as the moon and then headed away under its own power. Paul Chyodas of JPL hinted that it was a broken booster from an alien spacecraft.

Hi Antony, I think you’ll find that it is in reality that “it is denied that Comet Elenin is on a deadly course for Earth”. Also I think you’ll find that astronomers actually do have a good track record in correctly identifying rogue missiles heading our way. Cetainly they are a million times more accurate than psychic visions, Mayan and Hopi prophesies and that kind of thing.

2010 KQ was in solar orbit not “under power”. The JPL bulletin about this object (co-written by Chodas) suggested it was a discarded rocket booster from Earth. Possibly it is the fourth stage of the Russian Luna 23 launched in 1975 or even Luna 4 from 1963. Curious and interesting but not evidence of visitors!

Thanks for the article. I’d already figured out a couple of the points on my own in order to convince my friends that it was nothing to worry about, but your piece laid out the salient points much more succinctly than I could. Also, I’m having a lot of fun reading the comments you’ve attracted. Have you ever read the chapter “The Dragon In My Garage” in Carl Sagan’s book “The Demon-Haunted World”?

Not to be crass but PHD is also an acronym for (Expression removed, sorry but we are a family site here- ADMIN). Having dealt with numerous PHD’s in my life I’m finding more often than not this is the case. Theory is wonderful but unless it can be applied…

As for the doomsayers rampant at present, Dr. Johan Calleman, one of two who broke the Mayan Calendar Codex states that there is no doom. The only doom present is caused by humans. I much prefer to go with his explanation and leave off fearmongering and doom prophets.

I get very suspicious of people who feel compelled to add “PhD” after their name. Adding “PhD” gives the impression of authority and implies expertise. Someone with a PhD in 13th century English literature does not necessarily know very much about quantum physics (and vice versa). Having a PhD does not make you know more about everything.

Colin,
I visited the planetarium with my family this weekend and we all had a great day. While I was there I enquired about C2010 x1 and received an information pack, looked at the images provided and read your comments.

I have studied ancient history, the bible and had the privilege of working with some of the worlds leading scientists in recent years and I am deeply disappointed by your proud and arrogant comments regarding c2010 x1. In fact, your scientific analysis is quite poor also with many of your comments not even consistent with the images you provided in your info pack. Basic pattern recognition skills can identify a tail on c2010 x1 and other more unusual features in the Stereo images.

I don’t know if you believe in God but your comments suggest that you do not. As a scientist you should not rule out anything until you have all the facts and I don’t have the time or space here to present them all to you.

However, I can tell you that you comments are irresponsible and dangerous for you and the people who read and believe them. Not to mention your disrespect for the Mayan astronomers who have demonstrated an extraordinary scientific skill and insight far beyond your own; even the Hopi elders.

Soon we are going to witness celestial events not seen or recorded in living memory (in fact, if you have been paying attention, you’ll have seen them already) and when they occur you will no doubt be amazed and afraid in equal measure. At that time I recommend that you use your privileged position to spread Truth and knowledge in a wise and scientific manner.

My research and analysis of all the data has proven to me that God is the greatest scientist, mathematician and astronomer we will ever have the pleasure of witnessing. It is my hope that you will come to realise this too one day, soon.

I don’t know if you believe in God but your comments suggest that you do not

There is a time and a place to talk about religion, but it’s not here.

your disrespect for the Mayan astronomers who have demonstrated an extraordinary scientific skill and insight far beyond your own; even the Hopi elders

I have enormous respect for the abilities of ancient astronomers but I’m pretty contemptuous of those modern people who demean them by making up lies about their achievements, specifically the utter mistruth that the Mayans prophesised the end of the world in 2012 or this blue star prediction attributed to the Hopi but invented in the 1950s.

Soon we are going to witness celestial events not seen or recorded in living memory

Dear Admin,
All the people on the Earth ARE doomed – Comet or no comet! All those who do not believe in the risen Lord Jesus are doomed to the lake of fire for eternity – full stop! Now is the time to repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. People need to read the book of Revelation to see what is forecast for the Earth. You need to watch Israel – if the agreement comes to pass which is mentioned in Revelation then we have kick-off for the war of Psalm 83, followed not long after by all the events of the Great Tribulation – a 7 yr term. Following that the Lord will return and rule and reign over all the Earth for 1000 years. After that the Earth will be burned up and a new Earth and a new Heaven will appear for all eternity and we( those who are the Lord’s) shall live happily ever after. Amen. Anyway if there is nothing to hide why have Google Sky blanked out that area of the sky??? Why have NASA stopped their space programme and why is Obama due to hide in his nuclear bunker at Denver on 27th Sept?????

Oooh! A georesonator. I want one (I’m a bit of a gadget freak and I’m getting bored with my iPad). I don’t know what it does, but it sounds good. And then there’s the hyperresonator. It’s clear from the name that this is more powerful than the georesonator. I guess I should start with the georesonator, work out how to use that, and then upgrade (I hope I can do a trade-in). I can’t find these on Amazon, but I’ll keep looking. I hope they’re Mac compatible.

That’s the comets 45P Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova and P/2006 T1 Levy. Levy has not been recovered, and most likely disintegrated after it’s last encounter with the sun. Honda is a small dim comet (doesn’t get brighter than magnitude 8) that will be 5 degrees from Elenin on 7 October, but isn’t “following” it in any real sense.

Nibiru wasn’t dreamed up by someone in the 90’s there were 10 planets said to be in our solar system by the Sumarians. Im not saying nibiru exists or i believe in it, but please it wasnt dreamnt up in the 90s.

James and Steve, it may be interesting to note that the definition of “planet” has often changed. At one point, in western cultures, we considered comets and asteroids to be planets before we had established that they were different types of object.

You should be careful not mix up the current number of planets, based on our modern definition of “planet” (circa 2006), with different numbers of planets based on different definitions from different historical periods.

Its really funny on why so many ppl almost want the world to end, there were anarchists around the yr 2000, and then some yrs before that, and my dad says even the 60s- 70s saw its share of fantasy and creativity!..NOW its 2012, after that it maybe 2020 —-then 2029—- then 2036..it will go on ..till the world actually ends( maybe they will be right atleast once)..!!

Welcome to Astronotes

Hello, I’m Heather, welcoming you to Astronotes, the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s official blog. Here you will find the latest news and views from all those who work in our organisation, from the fascinating worlds of astronomy and space exploration. We hope you will come here to learn what is hot and exciting, profound or even weird from worlds beyond ours .
So that's the introduction out of the way, now on with the Universe!

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Armagh Observatory opened in 1790

Armagh Planetarium opened in 1968

Professor Louise Harra

Director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Michael Burton, on top of Mopra Rock in the Warrumbungles National Park of New South Wales. The 22m diameter Mopra radio telescope, star of the tale told here, lies below and behind him. (image credit: Michael Burton)